Fish out of water

So Jen and Keegan left town today to visit Jens' grandmother and great aunt in West Virginia. Jen could use your prayers because it looks like her great aunt has only a few days left in this world.

So tonight, I finally accepted the invitation of a co-worker of mine to visit his hang-out of choice. He frequents this watering hole at least once a weekend. Sometimes more often. Let me just say this was an odd experience for me. I haven't dated in a VERY long time. Jen and I started dating on January 5, 1990. MORE THAN 17 years ago!! So I have no idea what it's like to date now or what it's like to strike up a conversation with a member of the opposite sex in a dating context. So I sat there somewhat stunned as my friend did what singles guys -- apparently -- do today in the dating world. There was flirtatious conversation. There was observance of body language. There was the attempt to interpret the slightest glance or nod or wink or mouthed words. I was in awe. In awe of how anyone ever actually gets together with anyone to actually go out on a date. It was like Jane Goodall or Diane Fosse watching apes interact. It was worthy of a hidden camera and miked participants in an attempt to document what was occurring. Hours of film and countless more hours to observe the tapes was the only way I had any hope of understanding today's dating rituals. For those of you who are still in the middle of the dance that I observed tonight, good luck. I sit on the outside thankful that I am not on that dance floor. Because if I was on that dance floor, it would be a repeat of 7th grade, and I'd be leaning up against the wall watching everyone else dance to Greg Kihn's Jeopardy.