stand dates stand: first date

the idea came up for me in February around valentine's day.  i want to date myself.  picture that "romantic dates in and around seattle" book.  i'd like to do that.  alone.  well, not so much alone, as with myself, if you understand the distinction.  arbitrarily i've chosen to conduct this experiment for six months.  i'm planning one date a week.  but i'm keeping it loose.  after all, who knows if i'm gonna be interested in a serious relationship with this person, right?

i decided to ease myself into it with a low time commitment activity.  after all, it's the first date.  i took myself out to the frye art museum (bonus: it's free!).  i purposely didn't look at the exhibition information online yesterday so as not to have spoilers - hence the experience would last as long as possible.  which is to say, still short.  i have a minuscule attention span.

the coat-check boy was very interested in if i'd seen the show, i replied i hadn't.  was he flirting with me?  couldn't he tell i was on a date? it was then that i realized that i could see a screen flickering in close proximity.  what exactly was i walking into?

turns out the exhibit is a collection of footage, costumes, props, and... statuary? from a dance troop called the degenerate art ensemble.  i have similar feelings about dance as i do about sports.  i really enjoy them - when i'm participating.  watching, i get bored pretty quickly.  i also have very strong feelings about filming theatrical performances.   i believe they aren't made to be filmed, they're made to be experience live, from a distance.  this fact can make for some awkward footage of even the most talented performers.  all that being said, i genuinely enjoyed the small collection of photographs that was included in the exhibition.

as i wound my way through the space toward the cafe (hoping for WIFI), i saw a stream of people heading into a performance hall.  oh. no.  i'm not getting roped into watching an extended dance performance today; time for this date to come to a close.  i head back for another awkward encounter with my coat checking friend.  he asks how i liked it.  (i'm on a date, man!  we're busy getting to know each other.)  i stammer some reply about the intimacy of film and that i liked the "pictures".  oh, boy, the pictures were sho' purdy.  i make my exit noting my level of anxiety is sky high.

so what have i learned?  i, that is, my date continues to like photography.  that's good to know.  she's nervous around strangers.  she is skeptical of watching full-length dance performances, especially on film.  i suppose i knew all of that, but this is only the beginning, and still somewhat within my comfort zone.  just wait till it's dinner and a movie.

boy howdy, that should be something.