The Great Interview Experiment (Part 1)

I remember seeing some of my favourite bloggers take part in The Great Interview Experiment last year and thinking what a great idea it was. Neil at Citizen of the Month started it as an opportunity for bloggers to get to know one another and give them a chance to tell their own story. So to speak.

I was chosen to interview Brooke at Txting Mr Darcy. On first glance Brooke and I don't have much in common. For one thing, she is young and I most definitely am not. Secondly, she blogs about the ups and downs of online dating which I don't think even existed when I was single. Which may or may not have been sometime last century.

However, we found common ground in our addiction to Twilight and the fact that she is smart and sassy and funny and I found myself living vicariously through her ventures into the online dating world.

Read on....

So for those who haven't read your entertaining blog, which had me snorting out loud on more than one occasion, you write mostly about your experiences with online dating. I'm assuming you had been following blogs for a while, so what made you finally make the leap into this topic in particular?

I started out reading "mommyblogs" like mommywantsvodka and The Bloggess. I did read some of the 20-something blogs, but even they were mostly engaged or in steady relationships. While I was online dating, I just started writing again for the first time in a while, and realized that there wasn't a lot of that kind of emotional humiliation being posted... it felt like my niche. Also, I had friends (*exaggeratedly pointing to Danielle in Kansas City*) and family that were curious to hear how things were going. I just had to warn them that I was probably going to have a potty-mouth in a good bit of the writing.

Although you are now in a relationship (more on that later), would you ever consider dating someone from work? (I did, once which turned out horrendously, and once which resulted in me marrying English hubby.)

I think if you were both mature (HA!) and possibly in different departments which didn't require you working closely with one another, it could work. My grandfather always used to say "don't shit where you eat," and that always came to mind when I thought about dating a coworker.

Was there a particular type of "Mr. Darcy" you were thinking of when pondering your dating options?

My "Mr Darcy" changed a lot over the years. When I was in high school and college, I thought that my Darcy would have to be "educated" and "artistic." After years of dating those types and having them annoy the hell out of me, I started to rethink that idea. I was single for over a year and a half during my online dating time, so I had A LOT of time to look at what really clicked for me personally.

What is the elusive perfect man for you and what qualities (physical and otherwise!) do you look for? This is always interesting for me because when I was dating I never knew exactly what I was looking for, just what I wasn't.

First and foremost, he has to be honest and have a good heart. It sounds corny, but I dated enough cheating weasels to learn what to run from. (Doesn't sound corny at all!) He has to treat my family well, especially The Mom, and be respectful to Dad. Physically, I was always drawn to guys with light hair and eyes, probably because I'm the opposite. I'm with you in knowing what you're not looking for, rather than what you were. There are things that I may not know that I like yet, but will learn from someone in the future that I do. However, I KNOW that I can't stand men that are arrogant, cocky or know-it-alls. Or Yankees fans.

Do you have rules for first dates, especially if they're blind? Coffee-dates (for quick escapes), walk in the park, dinner with a well-timed cellphone call if things aren't going well?

My first dates, especially of the online dating variety, were in a neutral location, usually of my choosing (more likelihood of feeling comfortable or that quick getaway). Coffee/drinks was always a good first date, and I have to admit to having friends on standby, that if I sent an "SOS", they were to call with a family emergency. I also usually brought along some extra cash, so that if the date didn't go well, I'd hit a bookstore or movie that was fun for me. Any way the outing worked out, I made sure that it was a good experience in general. (side note: I know have A LOT of books to read. just saying. hehe)

What is the worst pick-up line you've ever gotten? Heck, let's hear the best too, one that worked. Here's mine (could be best or worst, depending on your point of view): Dubious gentleman makes the well-known shape of a gun with his hand, forefinger stretched toward me, pretends to shoot and says "Pow". Yes, really.

*mouth hanging open* NICE. Sad to say, I was quite possibly in a state of altered consciousness (read: SMASHED) at any event in college in which a pickup line may have been used on me. I do vaguely remember a fraternity auction in which a guy dressed in only leather pants lip synched Bon Jovi's "Livin' on a Prayer," and I ended up buying a date with him. That must have worked. Lately, all it takes is "Ok, let's go to bed." I'm game. lol

How are things going with Army Boy since you reconnected in September? How did you reconnect after all that time?

Things are going really well. :-D It's completely bizarre how you can go over 10 years without speaking to someone, but if you're a similar type of person, time and distance won't change that. He actually looked me up on Facebook, and it was such a shock to see his friend request. Sending messages turned into "Heck, let's just get together." (because that's how we talk here in P-A, lol). I don't think the initial intention was for us to start dating- I was using eHarmony and he was in the process of a divorce. Things just naturally took their own course. My family is in favor of him, and I'm hoping there's good things coming in the near future.

What kind of Renaissance Faire girl are you? Wench? Lady? Do you dress up?

I'd love to be the Lady, but the wenches have more fun! I DO have a costume in my closet from past faire visits, but wasn't sure if I was at the point with Army Boy this year to "bust it out," so to speak. Quite literally, really. I also find that the costume characters interact with youa lot more if you're in plain clothes, which makes for a funnier day.

Are you able to text in your new office yet? That is a tragedy of epic proportions, especially given the name of your blog.

NO. *sulks mutinously* Actually, I think it depends on the weather, and the amount of people in the office. I find that when it's practically empty in the evening, my txts go right through. I've got a plan in the works involving a hedgehog and some PVC pipe, so we'll see what comes of that.

This isn't a question, I just wanted to compliment you on the word "assily" (in reference to someone who was a jerk). It's a great word, and should be in the dictionary.
Okay, so let's make it a question - did you make it up for this post in particular, or is it one of those words you throw around in casual conversation?

lol!! I'm glad you appreciated it. In that instance, nothing seemed to fit. I mean, "stupidly," "moronically,"- nothing was strong enough. 'Boneheadedly' doesn't roll off the tongue quite as well... Sometimes you just need to throw a new word out there. Hey, if "dooce" can make it in the Urban Dictionary, why not?

What is your guilty pleasure? Blogs? People Magazine?

You hit both of mine right on the head. (me too) I finally subscribed to People about a year ago, because I was buying it at the store weekly, and usually picking up whatever other smut mag had opposite stories. Now I get my fix delivered... Man that sounds wrong. And Books. I may or may not have an illness where they're concerned.

I asked Brooke a "bonus question" about her background in music, and how she ended up working in the pharmaceutical industry. She was kind enough to elucidate.

As far as the "music major" goes, I went into college intending to study Music Ed, and when a professional singer tells you "You should switch to Performance" at 18, you say "ok!" without thinking about the years of further study and probable unemployment ahead of you. Fortunately, by the time I got out of undergrad I realized that I really needed to think before Grad School, and got a job as a retail pharmacy tech. I saw a clear career path there and went for it. And was able to go back to music on my terms, not worrying whether I'd be able to eat if I bombed an audition.

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I like this girl, and wish I could hear her sing. Go visit her at Txting Mr Darcy and see what keeps me going back to check in on how she's doing, even though she's taking a break from online dating to see how it goes with Army Boy. Thanks Brooke, and best of luck!

(I too will have my day in the interviewee chair. Stay tuned.... I will post that interview when it goes online)