Top 5 (and worst 5) Dates of 2011... thus far

I was asked to be a part of a Blog Carnival, and I have nearly missed the deadline due to a emergency new bathroom installation and endless amounts of shopping that shouldn't have happened.  But I digress... the Blog Carnival's objective this time was to do a Top 5 List for 2011.  I thought about doing my Top 5 movies, my Top 5 theatrical experiences, or my Top 5 fashion finds.  Then I narrowed it down to my Top 5 awkward moments or my Top 5 dates.  Since narrowing awkward moments to 5 is a daunting task and I haven't spent much time talking about boys in awhile, I picked dates.

Joy's Top 5 Dates of 2011

5. During one of the many blizzards NYC experienced earlier this year, I had a lovely stay-at-home date with a fella.  We talked and laughed for hours sitting on the couch.  It was a great night and made me realize that asking a guy over doesn't mean they necessarily assume they get more than conversation.  I should have more faith in guys who show an interest...

4. Along the same lines of my lack of confidence in men comes my surprise when simple things can be romantic and fun.  I had a date with a guy I wasn't particularly excited to go out with initially.  He more than proved me wrong and our date ended with a stroll through Astoria Park.  We wound up just being good friends, but the date was lovely nonetheless.

3. Sometimes seeing an ex is horrific.  Other times you wind up at Professor Thom's in the East Village on a Sunday night out of the blue laughing and remembering why you dug each other in the first place and wondering if you can fix whatever went wrong the first time around.

2. Who knew a traditional date of dinner and a movie could top my list of dates with boys in 2011??  A couple of months ago I went out with an amazing guy.  We had southern food.  We made fun of Jersey girls at the bar while we killed time waiting for a late-night comedy.  We laughed a lot.  And at one point I looked over at him and just thought about how comfortable it was.  That's a date I could do again (and would love to if you're reading this...)

1. Since it looks like I'm ending the year single, I would be remiss to top the list of best dates as one with a boy.  So I'm dedicating my #1 date as a multi-way tie among dates with friends.  I have one friend who takes me on Groupon French food dates which are some of my most cherished times.  Another friend went to a macaron cooking class with me and turned out to be a wonderful partner in the kitchen!  Going to a movie in Astoria on a Friday night with all the Queens teenagers... especially when we see things like "PROM" on opening night only to have your friend shout at all the teenagers for using their phones is priceless.  Shooting off to Atlantic City to spend free money and hit outlet malls with a friend makes me thankful for spontaneity.  And going out of town to visit a friend only to have said friend take you to get matching eagle tattoos.  Best dates of 2011 definitely go to my plutonic friends.

Joy's Worst 5 Dates of 2011

5. When meeting up with a guy for Starbucks, be sure to keep your story in check before divulging the details of your writings - especially when these writings are about dates.  Primarily dates with other guys including those you don't really like but know you'll get a good story out of.  Also know that dates can go poorly when it's your own fault and be thankful when the guy doesn't completely hold it against you and continues corresponding with you.

4. Ice cream in Chinatown followed by driving around on a rainy Sunday afternoon looking for a parking spot to go to the Natural History Museum that isn't even open isn't cool even if the guy is insanely wealthy.  Even less cool when the guy is lying about his age by 12 years, thus making him closer to your parents' age than your own.

3. Unlike Great Date #2 above, this traditional date to Nizza followed by a children's movie was lame.  Less because of what the date entailed and more because of the company.  When a guy pulls out the movie times on a piece of torn out newspaper and refuses to let you look up the showtimes on your smartphone, end the date there.  Don't continue on and give him a chance for...

2. ...a second date.  Yes, worst dates #3 and #2 are from the same guy.  Gentle reader of the masculine variety, take note: wearing old school, too tight sweatpants on a date isn't sexy even if someone lied to you and told you it was at some point in the 90s.  The conversation was terrible too.  This guy gave me rules... you KNOW I loved that.  My favorite rule?  Don't text him because it's impersonal.  Needless to say, 2 dates was all he got... it's 2011, sir and I don't do rules well.

1. I may or may not have been known to go out with guys on occasion who are not remotely my type just for the story and potentially to broaden my horizons.  An obnoxious steroid-infused, fake-baked, car-obsessed, meathead (no judgement of course) took me out to the Astoria Brewhouse.  He asked me about my plans for kids and marriage.  He talked about his ex-wife incessantly.  Then he tried to plan our 2nd date.  When I attempted to be elusive in order to avoid putting myself in an uncomfortable situation, he pressed.  Then he went in for a kiss... not a peck, but a full-on mouth kiss which I somewhat successfully dodged (I've become a pro at that over the years... ask my friend Darryl about my dodge with a kiss from Zenny).  Worst date of the year, hands down goes to the guy who wore this...

I'm still holding out hope for maybe one or two more dates in 2011, but I'm not sure they can top either list.  I wonder what 2012 will have in store on this front??