The last post may have come across as a bit creepy. Sorry about that. I’ve just been in a weird mood since Saturday night at Summit. I keep kicking myself for not asking the unnamed women out when I had the chance. What’s more frustrating is that it didn’t even cross my mind. Well maybe it did early on but when the opportunity presented itself…nothing. Anyway, I’ll strive to keep the creepiness level down to a minimum from now on. Scout’s Honor.

Changing the subject a bit.

It’s strange. For someone who doesn’t have a ton of experience in the relationship arena or the best track record, I sure end up giving a lot of advice to friends about them. I’m used to it I guess cause it’s always been that way. Folks come to me to get my take on things, to bounce stuff off of me, or just to talk. I listen and try to make helpful suggestions that might provide some clarity. Am I any good at it? I’m not sure. I hardly think I’m qualified but then again I think I do bring a different way of thinking about things that the other person may not have thought of. And maybe in some small way that helps. I try to be as straight and honest as I can with the person because I’d expect no less from them. Maybe this is the wrong approach. I don’t know I’m sad right now because a dear friend of mine may be somewhere crying because of what I’ve said. That certainly was not my intention and I apologize deeply if that is the case. I will be praying for the situation and also praying for wisdom on my part. A person who is full of Godly Wisdom is truly a sight to behold. I’ve definitely go a long way to go. Maybe I should get out of the advice giving business for a while. Put up the ‘Gone Fishin’ sign and take a break for a while. Something to think about. I may even seek some advice of my own on it. Good night all.

I’m trying to understand women better. If I’m going to get married some day, I’m going to have start dating, find a suitable mate, get engaged, and the whole 9 yards. Understanding women would help a great deal in that endeavor. So since I started doing this whole blogging thing (both writing on this one and perusing other’s) I’ve kind of gravitated towards women’s blogs. They just seem more interesting. I guess it’s because they’re so different from me. It’s the whole Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus thing you know? I guess I’m hoping to get a glimpse into the mind of women in an effort improve my interaction with women who happen to stumble onto Planet Okiboy. You’ll notice that I have 3 links to other blogs to the right. They’re all pointing to women’s blogs. (Yes, Aaron is a guy but he’s about as indecisive and moody as some women I know. So I included him in that list.) Hopefully my quest will prove helpful to the other guys who read this blog. It hasn’t born fruit yet but I hope it does. I’d like to find a mate without having to rely on my alter ego, THE MACK. Later.

I’m clueless when it comes to girls…. err I mean women. (I’m 25 years old. They’re not girls anymore. They’re women. Women. I could go to jail for going out with a girls at my age.) Saturday night I attended Summit. Summit is a monthly gathering for Christian young adults here in Memphis. We get together at a local church or other location to eat, sing, talk, listen to a speaker, pray and fellowship. Normally I don’t like going to Summit. It’s mainly a social event and me being shy, I tend try to stay away from those. The whole meeting new people thing has never appealed to me. The whole making small talk with people I don’t even know thing has always seemed like a waste time to me. That’s time I could be spending at home playing Playstation 2, reading, surfing the web (or writing in this blog) or watching a movie either at home or in the theater. (There I go with the whole escapism thing again. I’m going to have to seek counseling to get over that I’m sure) Anyway, Pre-Summit time went as it usually does. People introducing themselves to me then immediately going back to their little group of friends from their church. It happens every time. I’m used to it. One girl caught my eye though. She caught my eye because a) she was the only one there who looked like me b) she was cute and c) based on my observations, she seemed to have a nice personality. (Note: I’m an observer. I’m a people watcher. Sometimes that’s the only worthwhile reason to go out in public. When I was a child, Momma called that being nosey. To which I thought to myself, “It takes one to know one.” But to which I said out loud, “I’m not nosey Momma. I’m just observant.” Yes I was a witty child. Don’t you think? :End Note) I should have moseyed on over there and talked to her but she was talking to this other guy. I used that as an excuse to stay away. (I know it’s sad. Sad.) Then a little later when we started eating I could have tried to talk to her. The only problem was she was sitting at a table full of her friends. That didn’t seem like to best time to try the whole getting to know you thing either. Besides if there’s one thing I hate, it’s trying to hold a conversation while eating. It’s the most frustrating thing. I think that’s the time when I’m the most self-conscious. I’m a messy eater to begin with. I never grew out of that stage as a kid. It’s not that I mean to be or anything. It just happens. Veggies seem to spill over the side of the plate. Or I’ll drop something in my lap, which always leaves a bad stain. Or I’ll waste some water or tea or whatever. It’s terrible. (Maybe that’s why I don’t date much…. err at all.) Anyway the person you’re talking to always seems to ask a question when you’ve got a mouth full of something. Then when you swallow you’ve got to worry about food in your teeth etc. Yes this is another excuse but it’s valid I think.

Fast forward to Post-Summit time. Our host for the evening was the Christian Student Center at the University of Memphis. They run a Christian Coffee House on Wednesday nights. Saturday night they opened that up for us Summit folks to enjoy after the formal worship was over. That was great. They had everything from various coffee concoctions to several varieties of shakes. Being the shy person that I am, I was doing the same thing I did during Pre-Summit time. Standing around with people I knew and talking. Some people consider this anti-social. I don’t. I’m quite social within the small circle of friends I hang out with. Anyway, my friends and I were hanging out at the kitchen window waiting for our beverage orders to be filled. The Girl walked up and put in her own order. Since I was sitting right next to the window, it was impossible to avoid interacting with her. She said hi and introduced herself. We exchanged pleasantries and she went on her way. I think I came out of the exchange reasonably well. That means I didn’t make a complete idiot of myself. A little while later, my friend Brian did exactly what my roommate Anthony had done a few minutes before. He deserted me. I guess they got tired of being in the alleged anti-social group. That left me sitting all alone on a bar stool next to the kitchen window. I had to find something to do or someone to talk to fast, in order to avoid embarrassment. I scanned the room and my eyes happened to fall on The Girl. She happened to be sitting alone at the time. Her friends seemed to be engrossed in a conversation with some other girls. At that moment, my body engaged without prompting from my mind. (You think I’m joking.) I hoped off the stool and walked over an empty seat next to her. And get this, I sat down. This whole time my brain is saying, “What am I doing?” Next thing I knew, we were having an actual conversation. I find real conversation refreshing. It’s deeper and less pretentious than small talk. I don’t like small talk. I was witty, funny, and charming. She was eating it up. (Well maybe she was just being polite…. Nah she was digging me.) She was throwing out tons of signals (in high school we called them vibes) and I was receiving them, processing them and shooting right back full blast. It was like an out of body experience. I don’t know who the person sitting there talking to that cute girl was but it wasn’t me. Needless to say this was fun. I think we were flirting. (Don’t quote me on that though. I’m a bit rusty in the whole dating/flirting department. Truth be told, I’m so rusty I don’t even think a case of WD-40 could help me) To top it all off, her friend Sarah came over and started talking after we had been talking for a little while. Sarah was nice. She’s the one who made my Vanilla shake. Very nice. Sarah was throwing out vibes too. Though hers were more friendly happy vibes. I think she was just happy for her friend’s successfull vibe exchange with me. So I’m sitting there talking to two cute girls. Heaven? Maybe. Talk about having Mexico flashbacks. The only difference being that the attention was focused on me instead of my friend Robert. I’m the man!! I think I’ve identified the person who was occupying my body that whole time. From hence forth he will be know as THE MACK. He’s my alter ego. Or maybe my split personality. I’m not sure which.

Here’s where my cluelessness (is that a word?) comes in. Things started winding down around 10 or so. I’m was getting tired (actually I wanted to get home so I could read another few chapters of The Bourne Identity before I went to bed.) So I got up to leave. My roommate Anthony did the same. Once outside he said, “You asked her out right?” To which is gave a confused expression and said, “Nope.” Then it was his turn to look confused. He said she was clearly digging on me, and I was definitely digging on her so he suggested that I go back inside and ask her out. I couldn’t do that though. Way too embarrassing. He said if I didn’t do it then, I never would. I told him that wasn’t true. (Though I secretly suspected he might be right.) I’ll have other opportunities though. She said that she goes to the Wednesday night Coffee House every week. So I guess I’ll have to go down there after church tonight and talk to her again. I’m so clueless. Why didn’t my mind translate our conversation into some kind of action? As in asking her out. Or at the very least getting her digits. I think I’m hopeless. I’m going to be a lonely hermit the rest of my life. Let’s see if I can scrape up the gumption to go down there tonight. Oh and here’s the kicker. I can’t remember her name. Do you ever completely zone out when you first meet someone? Well that’s me. When a new person tells me their name it’s immediately wiped from my memory banks. So there’s this great woman I’m interested in. A woman I spent a good 20 to 25 minutes talking to and I don’t even know her name. (That’s why she’s been referred to as The Girl this whole post.) I guess I’ll have to get her digits and make sure she writes the correct spelling of her name down on the paper. How’s that for smoothness? THE MACK lives. Wish me luck.