Somehow or other, I got myself on to the e-mailing list of a couple of young ladies who run occasional speed-dating sessions (and other 'singles events') here in Beijing, and about 14 months ago I was actually on the brink of giving it a try.
They don't seem to have had so many of these evenings lately (or perhaps I just haven't been paying attention), but another one came around this Sunday, and again..... I was on the brink.
This doesn't seem like a particularly good time of year to be having such an event: the major influx of fresh blood in the expat community is usually in the late summer/early autumn. Not so many newbies are starting out on the Beijing experience in the middle of winter. And amongst the existing population, many people are still on their winter breaks; or only just back, and perhaps distracted by a bit of a holiday fling or a rekindling of old flames back home.
On the other hand, the 'long winter evenings' are apt to make even diehard singletons like myself suddenly covetous of a cosy bed partner. And the looming iceberg of Valentine's Day strikes a terror of loneliness into many people. Perhaps, after all, this is a good time to be looking...
Well, the organisers had chosen quite a nice bar for it (though not in my local neighbourhood this time), and I didn't have anything else to do on Sunday evening, but..... I'm afraid apathy won out again.
Next time, next time. I really am keen to do this now (not 'desperate', not 'desperate'; committed, focused.... receptive to trying to get into a relationship again). I'm even starting to feel quite inspired by the challenge of having to think of new and amusing things to ask and say for one-and-a-half hours without a break (a marathon of conversational creativity which daunted me last time, and was probably the main reason why I wimped out). Next time, next time....
I wonder, did any of my readers try this out? What did you make of it?
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