Five in Five update: Date #4 Simulation Time

Friday night was Date #4. This was another completely 'blind' date and I think the set-up went something like this...

I told my colleagues that I needed some single eligible bachelors for my Five in Five charity dating challenge. One of those colleagues told her husband. That husband told his colleagues. One of those colleagues told her husband. That husband then told his colleagues. And one of those colleagues said, "That sounds like a job for me".

A few days later I got a call informing me I was being taken on a date... wine and tapas at South Bank with a Simulator Technician.  Again, I had to keep my wits about me. An extra glass of wine and I may have accidentally slipped an extra 't' into his job title, sending out the signal that I was inviting him back for "coffee" and we all know that's not how you do a first date... with a complete stranger... for charity.... yesss CHARITY. Contrary to what my brother may tell you, that is the reason behind all of this 'frivolous dating' (as he calls it)...

The Five in Five dating challenge ends this Friday 8th March, and together the participants have raised a whopping $47, 141 for local charities that work to break the cycle of social disadvantage. $245 of that has come from my team of brilliant colleagues, friends and family. If you haven't already donated and want to, you can do so until Friday via my Sponsorship Page. Donations are tax deductible and can even be anonymous if you so wish.


It turned out that Date #4 had spent the day at a charity golf day on the Gold Coast, making me his second charity case for the day. We shared stories about the different things we have done for charity. One year, Date #4 was involved in a competition involving the Bridge to Brisbane fun run. The sick kids who he was raising funds for got to choose what outfit he would wear for the 10km run. Even as a pink fairy in a tutu and glittery wings, he completed the race in good time. That was possibly the same year I was on the sideline, cheering on the competitors to keep them motivated and inspired...

It got me thinking about just how far out of my comfort zone I'd go to support a good cause...

And then came the call from potential Date #5...

I call him 'Potential Date #5' only because our schedules don't allow us to meet before the challenge ends on Friday. So I've said yes to the date BUT really do need to get another one in before Friday. Anyway... this guy is my boss's massage therapist. He said he wanted to go on a fun date, something I hadn't done before (I could feel my comfort zone shrinking...). Then he said it, "let's go dancing...". What I heard was ...

My brother is familiar with the Brisbane salsa dancing scene so I asked him if he knew this guy and yes he does. Not only does this guy know how to dance... he's Australian Salsa Solo Champion.... So now, it'll just be ME humiliating MYSELF on the dance floor... ahhh the things you do for charity :)




Here is the photographic evidence of Date #4. He decided to leave his pink tutu at home for this charity event.





There are so many people doing great things to help others. Two of my friends deserve a special mention here.... 

Cheryl: I met Cheryl when I was teaching English in Japan. She is currently working on a volunteer project created after the 2011 earthquake in Japan. It's called Peace by Piece and is all about building community through art.

Zac: Zac is a fellow yogi and he's about to take his yoga off the mat and onto the saddle. He's participating in the epic Rio Tinto Ride to Conquer Cancer. Check out his page for all the details.

If you think helping others is sexy, click here . The more times you click and donate, the sexier you become. You should try it!

Five in Five Update: Date #2 'Bring your A-game'

On Thursday night, I headed to Victoria Park Golf Course for a game of Putt Putt with Date #2 (which was actually Date #3). 

To set the scene... Date #2 had previously worked in my office and left before I started working there. Within a week of finding out I was single, my colleagues were on a mission to set us up. They were convinced we'd make the perfect couple and, despite us having never met, had pretty much planned our wedding and named our first born child...eeeeek! One day he stopped by for a visit and I could see why my colleagues had rated him so highly... he was obviously quite the catch.

Fast forward a few months and here I am in the office, telling the girls I've signed up to do Five in Five - Five dates in five weeks with five different peo... I hadn't even finished explaining it and my colleague Gai had already emailed Date #2 the details. He was in. 

We exchanged a few text messages and the date was set - Putt Putt if the weather was fine, bowling and a burger if it was raining.

Now you already know from my previous post that my father is a big fan of this guy. Date #2 is a bus driver and stunt man, and after my dad's recent 'stunt' falling down an escalator backwards at Central Station, he thought they'd be kindred spirits. My best friend is pretty keen for her 'almost born' son to have an Uncle Batman and my colleagues 'just want us both to be happy'.

With pressure coming at me from all angles I knew I had to bring my A-game (pun intended)... 

Those who know me well, know I have a pretty witty sense of humour and a love of language. One of my 'things' is that I often interpret what people say literally and end up in a fit of giggles. And when you're going to play putt putt with a very handsome bus-driving stunt man, there are many things that could be said and taken out of context. We created a 'whatever you say Kirsty, don't say this' list, which included:

"Do you have a favourite route?" (bus driver)

And due to my readership (hi Mum and Dad) I'll stop that list right there.

So with a long list of what not to say and a whole lot of external expectations on my mind, I was paralysed and  didn't play my A-game (in Putt Putt or dating) but I did have a lot of fun... and who knows, maybe I'll get a second go... 

If you think Date #2 should give me a second chance to drop the expectations and play my dating A-game, donate here ...

http://my.artezpacific.com/personalPage.aspx?registrationID=532976&langPref=en-CA&Referrer=http%3a%2f%2ffiveinfive.org.au%2f

p.s. As we putted our way around the course, we chatted a bit about dating and how to pick up. We have both had the experience of a random pick up - him on the bus, and me at the shopping centre. We both gave credit where credit was due and followed through with a date. There's something to be said for having the guts to pick up. 

Here's a little diagram to show just how simple it is...

And now for the PROGRESS CHECK:

• 4 dates done, 1 to go (Date #4 blog coming soon)
• Date #5 scheduled for next Saturday - this one is completely out of my comfort zone... watch this space
• Financial goal reached - currently $245 in the donation kitty! Donations close on Friday so hop to it!

Five in Five Update: Date #3

Here's what my Saturday looked like:

5am - Get up, quick morning routine then hit the highway
7:30am - Yoga on the beach near Caloundra
9:30am - Mindfulness Meditation Coaching Course
1pm - fish and chips on the beach then hit the highway home
3pm - return missed call from Date #4 (drinks and tapas penciled in diary for this Friday)
3:30pm - enter 'fish and chips' induced coma
6pm - Get ready for Date #3
7pm - Arrive at "The Three Monkeys" West End for Dessert with Date #3

One of my biggest aims as a Yoga teacher (and human being) is to make the principles of Yoga and Mindfulness relevant and accessible to all. Yoga and Mindfulness, in my experience, provide us with universal tools that we can use in our daily lives to feel more content, calm and connected. And yes, these tools can be applied to 'dating' too.

According to Jon Kabat-Zinn, there are 8 Pillars of Mindfulness, which if embraced in our daily life, are a prescription for living a more full life. If at any time, we find ourselves in a place of dis-ease, we can reflect on these 8 pillars to see what we need an extra dose of to bring us back to wholeness and out of suffering.

The 8 pillars are:

1. Non-Judging
2. Patience
3. A Beginners Mind
4. Trust
5. Non-striving
6. Acceptance
7. Letting Go
8. A Sense of Humor

You might be wondering how on earth this translates to dating but by gosh it does!

Let's look at 'Beginner's Mind'. The Japanese Zen Master, Suzuki Roshi, is famous for having said,

"In the Beginner's mind, there are many possibilities, but in the expert's there are few"

Beginners come to new experiences not knowing so much and therefore open. Having a beginner's mind, means taking the chance to see something as if for the first time, without allowing our illusion of knowing, prevent us from being present to the experience unfolding in front of us.

Okay, back to Date #3... I had already had a very successful Date #1. I had been to our venue many times (some might say I was a 'regular') AND I already knew Date #3 pretty well through mutual friends. As I walked the million miles to the venue (NB: Parking in West End on a Saturday night is horrific), I realised I needed to flick the switch and put on my beginner's mind. As a result, I learnt a lot about Date #3 that I didn't already know. And my experience at the venue was different to any time before it... and it was a lot of fun!

So, how was Date #3? First, let's look at this excerpt from "The Complete Book of Rules - time tested secrets for capturing Mr Right"...

So to answer that question..."Date #3 was nice! We had a lot of fun" :)

And here is the mandatory photo to prove it happened...

"The Complete Book of Rules" also suggests complimenting your date on 'his choice of restaurant, shirt or good sense to ask you out'. Who am I to break the rules?! I kindly complimented Date #3 on his choice of venue as we entered, to which he replied, "I'm pretty sure you chose this place in the end". Oooops! Good time to embrace Mindfulness Pillar #8 - A sense of humour. :)

And by the way, Date #3... I really like your shirt! ;)

If you like Date #3's choice of shirt too, let him know by clicking here:
http://my.artezpacific.com/personalPage.aspx?registrationID=532976&langPref=en-CA&Referrer=direct%2fnone