Dating or not dating.

[NikF]

I called it right - the self-styled Princess has announced that she's lost patience/gone. Fair enough.

Now (well, tomorrow) London part two and meeting a friend for shenanigans, hijinks and potentially cor blimey trousers. Lor' luv a duck!

[Reckoner]

Now (well, tomorrow) London part two and meeting a friend for shenanigans, hijinks and potentially cor blimey trousers. Lor' luv a duck!

No-one down here ever says "cor blimey". No-one. I mean, I'm pretty sure on this. 

[NikF]

No-one down here ever says "cor blimey". No-one. I mean, I'm pretty sure on this. 

Yeah, I know. I was married to a Londoner and the only time I was exposed to rhyming slang was when stuck on the Northern Line by a drunk cockney who was playing it up for the tourists. 
I included it as a nod to Dick Van Dyke's terrible accent in Mary Poppins. Although he never spoke those words in the film (maybe people are thinking of the Lonnie Donegan song?) it still kind of sums up the awfulness -
"Cor blimey, Mary Poppins!"

[NikF]

I've just checked my email ( ) and there was a message dated one week ago from the retired dancer. She has expressed her regret that things came to a halt and she hopes I'll take care of myself. That was considerate of her and I sincerely appreciate the thought. However it also served a tentative message of 'I am still here'. I know she is. But nothing has changed.

[NikF]

A former colleague has asked if I would go with her friend to a cinema showing of a ballet (Ratmansky's 'The Bright Stream') at the weekend. I'd much prefer her friend asked me herself, but since we were clearly in passing notes in class mode I answered yes, with the added provisio that I require the option to "...pull her pigtails and then run away".
So, ballet (including a free ticket!) and music by Shosty in the company of someone I met once, briefly around 18 months ago and can remember nothing about. It should be interesting.

[NikF]

It was a pleasant evening. We had time for a drink and a chat beforehand and afterwards I walked her to the railway station. She's certainly friendly enough, quietly confident and modest and she laughs easily. Maybe we'll do something again.

[Mirror Image]

It was a pleasant evening. We had time for a drink and a chat beforehand and afterwards I walked her to the railway station. She's certainly friendly enough, quietly confident and modest and she laughs easily. Maybe we'll do something again.

Good to hear! I hope something blossoms between you and your new lady friend. Here's to hoping things go well.

[NikF]

Good to hear! I hope something blossoms between you and your new lady friend. Here's to hoping things go well.

Yeah, I'll see how it goes. Thanks.

[Mirror Image]

Okay, so I met two women online that are interested in me. One of them lives in Denver, CO and the other one lives about 30 minutes away from where I live. The one that lives in Denver is really pushing for a long distance kind of thing where we'd fly back and forth to see each other. I'm sorry I don't think I could do this as it's quite costly. I love the fact that she has an idealistic view of things and would be willing to make something like this distance between us work, but I don't think it would. I mean she's quite optimistic that it would. The other woman (who lives 30 minutes away) doesn't speak very good English (she's Vietnamese I believe --- I didn't ask), but has a sweet personality and her living closer than the other woman sure makes things easier.

[NikF]

Okay, so I met two women online that are interested in me. One of them lives in Denver, CO and the other one lives about 30 minutes away from where I live. The one that lives in Denver is really pushing for a long distance kind of thing where we'd fly back and forth to see each other. I'm sorry I don't think I could do this as it's quite costly. I love the fact that she has an idealistic view of things and would be willing to make something like this distance between us work, but I don't think it would. I mean she's quite optimistic that it would. The other woman (who lives 30 minutes away) doesn't speak very good English (she's Vietnamese I believe --- I didn't ask), but has a sweet personality and her living closer than the other woman sure makes things easier.

Sounds good! As for any potential language barrier, some might view that as a hurdle. However as with most things it mostly depends on the individual; I went to shoot fashion in Russia for one week and met a woman at a party. She spoke no English and I spoke no Russian. Within six months she and I were living together there and initially communicated via a combo of translation software on a laptop that we carried everywhere and hastily scribbled drawings on small pieces of paper. We lasted almost five years. So what I'm saying is, that most things perceived as barriers can be removed or at least minimised to some extent if you're both patient.
In any case, it's always cool to have women interested and if you don't look too far ahead it can be great fun.    If you're so inclined, post an update once in a while on how it's going? 


Fake edit: the woman I've been seeing most recently asked me to take her to a concert. So next week it's Bavouzet playing Ravel's Piano concerto in G. At the moment I have a black eye (due to sparring) and a limp. What a catch I am.       

[Mirror Image]

Sounds good! As for any potential language barrier, some might view that as a hurdle. However as with most things it mostly depends on the individual; I went to shoot fashion in Russia for one week and met a woman at a party. She spoke no English and I spoke no Russian. Within six months she and I were living together there and initially communicated via a combo of translation software on a laptop that we carried everywhere and hastily scribbled drawings on small pieces of paper. We lasted almost five years. So what I'm saying is, that most things perceived as barriers can be removed or at least minimised to some extent if you're both patient.
In any case, it's always cool to have women interested and if you don't look too far ahead it can be great fun.    If you're so inclined, post an update once in a while on how it's going? 


Fake edit: the woman I've been seeing most recently asked me to take her to a concert. So next week it's Bavouzet playing Ravel's Piano concerto in G. At the moment I have a black eye (due to sparring) and a limp. What a catch I am.       

Thanks, NikF. Great story, btw. Very interesting indeed. Well, nothing panned out with either woman. No loss, no gain, no worries. There are a million fish out there.

[NikF]

Thanks, NikF. Great story, btw. Very interesting indeed. Well, nothing panned out with either woman. No loss, no gain, no worries. There are a million fish out there.

Ah, sorry to hear that. But as you say there are so many more out there. And you've the attitude that's required for success - just keep moving on and forward.

[Mirror Image]

Ah, sorry to hear that. But as you say there are so many more out there. And you've the attitude that's required for success - just keep moving on and forward.

Thanks. Yeah, it's best not to get hung on anything that wasn't happening to begin with.

[NikF]

Thanks. Yeah, it's best not to get hung on anything that wasn't happening to begin with.

That's it. Good stuff. 

[Rinaldo]

Sounds good! As for any potential language barrier, some might view that as a hurdle. However as with most things it mostly depends on the individual; I went to shoot fashion in Russia for one week and met a woman at a party. She spoke no English and I spoke no Russian. Within six months she and I were living together there and initially communicated via a combo of translation software on a laptop that we carried everywhere and hastily scribbled drawings on small pieces of paper. We lasted almost five years.

Man, you remind me of an Aussie surfer guy I've met years ago in Fiji, he had the best relationship stories. Keep 'em coming!

[NikF]

Man, you remind me of an Aussie surfer guy I've met years ago in Fiji, he had the best relationship stories. Keep 'em coming!

Thanks. Fiji? Cool.  I've never been there.

Since it's a dating/not dating thread I've been thinking of posting some accounts of getting dates and disastrous dates and all that. Some of my failures have been amusing and I've been rejected by more women than anyone I know. But due to a combo of my job and an older women who took me under her wing when I was a young man, I don't worry about letdowns so much and so I've had a lot of adventures and positive outcomes too. I'll write a couple of them up and post them. I mean, if the whole dating experience is taken too seriously it's liable to drive anyone nuts.

[SharpEleventh]

I don't always date but when I do, I realize I'm dreaming and wake up. This all after seeing stuff like flying cows, talking bananas and people coming to a unanimous agreement about the word "atonal".

[NikF]

So, a dating story from my distant past. If my ability to remember select details from so long ago raises an eyebrow, know that from about 1983 or so I've kept a diary or journal of stuff that happens to me.

I'm going to split this into two posts to try and avoid a wall of text.


I had a dear friend named Stewart. He and I had arranged to have lunch with his girlfriend Mary, who was an actress. A few years later when they had parted I slept with her and then later one of her actress friends who had hair like Louise Brooks. But that's another story. Anyway, when we arrived we found Mary in the company of a girl who introduced herself to me as Siobhan, who in turn told me that although we hadn't met before that there were a few events and parties we'd both attended in the past. Ah, this means she remembered me!  And in turn, that means I already have one foot in the door, so to speak...


During lunch Siobhan and I got on great. It was helped by the fact that she was tall and slim and raven haired and was wearing a long black dress that faintly touched her figure in all the right places and also that she clearly thought I was wonderful When lunch was over she asked if I was free to come along with them to the cinema. The film was Nicholas Roeg's Track 29 https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Track_29 We'd all had a few drinks while eating and as we walked to the cinema Siobhan gently bumped her hip into me and said "I've been told I kind of look like Theresa Russell" to which I stopped her, lifted her chin and stepped back and said "Yes, indeed, you kind of do". However the truth is, she really didn't at all. And at first I had been hugely tempted to reply "Theresa, no. Bertrand, yes."


Part two to follow.

[NikF]

Part two.


I don't like Gary Oldman. I have tried, but I don't like him. Not even a little bit.
After watching the film we all went to dinner. Not being accustomed to drinking much, I was beginning to feel the effects. We left the restaurant and piled into a taxi. It took us to Stewart's place where the four of us talked late into the night in their living room amidst high mountains of papers and folders that had something to do with his job at the University when he was not leering at freshers. Prompted by much fake yawning from Siobhan and I, Stewart finally took the hint and dumped a couple of pillows and a quilt on the sofa and told us to make ourselves comfortable. Then he and Mary wished us goodnight and left the room. The moment they were gone the pouncing, gasping and double time breathing started, which included me kicking out at the stacks of papers and books in order to make more room on the sofa for our increasinging shenanigans. But Siobhan stopped me and picked some of them up, carefully placing them on a chair. Then she turned out the light and returned. We commenced in the dim glow of the non-romantic orange low pressure sodium (which although a light source of great luminous efficiency, was pale in comparison to my efficiency on the sofa. Hahaha) shining through the window. But there were still a few books and things near the end of the sofa and so like an amazing combo of Casanova and JPR Williams I wildly booted them into touch. One was stubborn and it took a mighty effort before it moved and landed with a soft thud. She said "Well, I'll never find that in the dark". I replied "Dont worry, I'll find it in the morning". She asked "And if I need the toilet during the night?" I thought "Exactly what kind of rare and exotic woman is this?" Then she laughed and said "You've kicked my leg off."
She had a prosthetic lower limb.


In the morning I was a gentleman and fetched her leg for her. It was heavier than I expected.

[Mister Sharpe]

Part two.


I don't like Gary Oldman. I have tried, but I don't like him. Not even a little bit.
After watching the film we all went to dinner. Not being accustomed to drinking much, I was beginning to feel the effects. We left the restaurant and piled into a taxi. It took us to Stewart's place where the four of us talked late into the night in their living room amidst high mountains of papers and folders that had something to do with his job at the University when he was not leering at freshers. Prompted by much fake yawning from Siobhan and I, Stewart finally took the hint and dumped a couple of pillows and a quilt on the sofa and told us to make ourselves comfortable. Then he and Mary wished us goodnight and left the room. The moment they were gone the pouncing, gasping and double time breathing started, which included me kicking out at the stacks of papers and books in order to make more room on the sofa for our increasinging shenanigans. But Siobhan stopped me and picked some of them up, carefully placing them on a chair. Then she turned out the light and returned. We commenced in the dim glow of the non-romantic orange low pressure sodium (which although a light source of great luminous efficiency, was pale in comparison to my efficiency on the sofa. Hahaha) shining through the window. But there were still a few books and things near the end of the sofa and so like an amazing combo of Casanova and JPR Williams I wildly booted them into touch. One was stubborn and it took a mighty effort before it moved and landed with a soft thud. She said "Well, I'll never find that in the dark". I replied "Dont worry, I'll find it in the morning". She asked "And if I need the toilet during the night?" I thought "Exactly what kind of rare and exotic woman is this?" Then she laughed and said "You've kicked my leg off."

She had a prosthetic lower limb.

In the morning I was a gentleman and fetched her leg for her. It was heavier than I expected.

Track 29 is a great film!  (I know, Oldham can be a bit over the top at times; btw, my model trains met a similar fate!)  And your story's a great one as well, thanks! (newer prosthetics are much lighter and doctors and scientists are beginning to be able to preserve more nerve tissue during amputation so as to allow the brain to actually sense and control limbs - genius!).