Why is my southern accent coming out today and other important questions

So this morning I'm talking to my co-worker J. and he's originally from South Carolina. He usually keep his southern accent under wraps, which is good because otherwise my southern accent would start coming out something fierce. Except for this morning.

I don't know if it's the influence of Brit & K-fed getting to me but even my thoughts in my head have a southern accent to them. Uh weird.

Also, majorly craving starbucks coffee. This is odd because I much prefer Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf.

Anyway, so last night I had a coffee date, but I drank tea. As I get older caffeine and night go less and less together. I need to sleep, y'all. (see southern accent coming out) But, I digress.

Since the beginning of this year I have made an effort to put myself out there in the dating world. You may remember my confession of entering the online dating experience. One of the results of this is my expectations for first dates have ...

I wouldn't say lowered ...

I'd say become more reasonable. I have more reasonable expectations. I expect an awkward hour or two spent trying to keep up a conversation, maybe getting to know each other, possibly leading to a second date. It's all a big let's try this on and see. Like shopping for a pair of shoes. Because as a woman it always comes back to shoes. (Oh hi, Ms. Faludi, you'd like my feminist membership card back? Okay, let me just find that for you. Give me a sec. I must have left it in my other purse. Oh yes, calling me Miss v.carrie is fine)

My nightmare? Well there's so many variations on my nightmare scenario date I don't know if there's enough bandwith for it all.

My hopes well, that's a whole other story. Although I don't always say so, in my heart of hearts I always have high hopes. And hope should be high and unreasonable in my opinion. I need that to counteract the doubtful, insecure part of me that invisions growing old alone surrounded by dozens of cats and dogs. (Because even in my imagined spinsterhood, old age I still have a fabulous house that I provided for myself. Thanks I'll take feminist card back. It's Ms. v.carrie if you please) I hope to meet someone I really connect with and there's great chemistery eventually leading to sex, relationship, etc. (Was that too much information?)

So, what did I find last night? About what I expected. It wasn't awkward for an hour or two. It started with a hello, no handhake, awkward conversation as we waited to order coffee, followed by two hours of a nice intellectual conversation that jumped around from food to LA to politics to Miami. (He's from Miami) Dan is a nice guy. He's a biologist in his fifth year of graduate work at Caltech. I think the most personal thing I learned about him is he's lactose intolerant.

So, it was fine. Which is good because dates can go horribly, horribly wrong and bad. But, still, even though I could see developing a friendship with Dan, there's part of me that's a little disappointed and unsatisified. It's those unreasonable high hopes. Damn my optimistic nature.

Cheers
v.carrie