Spooning Techniques & Big-D

Ok, ok, all right already! Many of you have been asking about BIG-D...what's his story, how did we meet, what's he do, what's he like, etc. So, here goes...

Big-D attends church in the same ward as Desperate Housewife's mom (Desperate Housewife lives across the street). But...that's not how we met.

Big-D's parents attend church in the same ward as The Friend-Girl. He even grew up with The Friend-Girl's mom. But...that's not how we met.

Big-D's high school buddy lives pretty much down the street from me. But...that's not how we met.

No, Big-D & I met the good old fashioned way - on the Internet!!!

For those of you who remember my post earlier this year, titled, The Principles of Prospecting , you'll recall that HatDude & I applied the business "principles of prospecting" to the dating scene. HatDude & I decided that in order to fill our "Prime Time slots" with the best possible "leads" (dates), we needed to prospect to the "masses" and the Internet seemed like the easiest way to do this.

I came across Big-D's profile... "When I'm not at work, I'm usually running in the mountains... Enjoy music from classical to The Police... Not a big movie guy but can't get enough of the Jason Bourne series...Favorite TV Show: Seinfeld..."

I'm thinking, he has an eclectic taste in music, as do I. He loves the "Bourne" movies, as do I. And his all-time fav TV show is Seinfeld, as is mine. So, he can't be all that bad, right?

June 28th, 11:44 pm - I send him an email thru the online service and say something to the effect of how I also love the Bourne series and that there are rumors of a 4th movie. I tell him I would be interested in getting to know him.

It takes the guy 2 WHOLE DAYS TO RESPOND (so much for "modern technology"! I could have mailed him a letter.)

June 30th, 7:39 pm - He replies that a 4th Bourne movie would be cool, and he'd love to chat sometime.

Jun 30th, 7:43 pm - (notice it only takes me 4 minutes to reply, lol) I ask him if he IM's and I reveal my username for MSN Messenger.

He did not reply to my message in the appropriate response time (less than 24 hrs) but I decided I was gonna work this lead and see if I could turn it anyway.

July 2nd, 12:17 am - I send him another message indicating that I have verified the rumors regarding the 4th movie. I ask if he has read all the Bourne books, or if he was just a Matt Damon fan like me.

July 3rd, 8:43 pm - He replies that he hasn't read the books and that even though he likes him as the character Jason Bourne, he stops short of admitting a man-crush on Matt Damon. He also tells me he finally remembered his IM password and reveals his IM address. (Now we're getting somewhere!)

July 6th, around 8:00 pm - We are finally both online at the same time and start chatting. I think I wore him out, poor guy. After about 3 hours of IMing he tells me he HAS to get rest. I didn't dare tell him that this staying-up-late-no-sleep-thing was a habit of mine. Didn't want to scare him away. Before logging off, I tell him again that I would like to meet him and hang out or something. (I mean, after all, it IS prospecting, and you gotta find out if it's gonna go anywhere or cut your losses.) We agree on Friday. I tell him to call me later that week and he agrees.

July 9th, 7pm - He finally calls. Whew. He is not a "high-talker"; I am relieved. He asks what I want to do on Friday. I throw out several options, cooking together being one of them. He states he doesn't really know how to cook. I tell him not to worry, cuz I do. He says he will think on it and call me the next night.

July 10th, 8:30 pm - Big-D calls. Asks if we are still on for Friday. Then he tells me that he has some sort of "secret recipe" for "Russian Chicken". Wow - was I impressed. In 24 hrs this guy who says he doesn't cook has a meal plan and HE is gonna cook for ME!

My instinct was that Big-D was a bit of a shy-guy, and perhaps even a little boring (no offense Big-D). I mean, after all, he is an IT Guy. I was expecting to have a "nice" time with a "nice" guy. But I figured after some of the other Bozos, "nice" would be refreshing.

What I didn't know was that his impression of me was that I was a bit of a "player". I mean, after all, he had found my blog and perused the various dating posts. He determined that he was probably just a "pawn" in my game. (Game??? ME???)

July 11th,

6:00 pm - I arrive at Big-D's place. He seems nervous, which he actually pulls off quite well (cute). He gives me the "tour" of his place and begins to point out all of his home projects he has done. I find myself thinking things like, "An IT Guy who is a handy-man too??? My dad would like this guy."

Then he tells me that earlier that day, he suddenly remembered that in the entire two years he lived there, he had not used the oven and that the "rack" was missing. He takes the rest of the day off and runs around town in search of a rack. He is told he can order one. No good. He heads home and begins working on Plan B. He knocks on all of his neighbors' doors. Finally, someone is home. They have a rack that he can borrow. Problem #2 - the rack does not fit. He decides to Jimmy-Rig the rack. As he is telling me the story, through my laughter, I cannot help but find him more attractive. I mean, most guys would have given up at this point and ordered a pizza. But not Big-D. He said he was gonna cook, so therefore, he was gonna cook.

6:30ish pm - He starts the chicken, which consists of 2 ingredients. That's right, folks. 2 ingredients. Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts and a bottle of Russian Dressing. That was the big secret recipe. Wow. So, he lays the chicken in a shallow baking pan (which, by the way he bought that day, since he did not previously own such a thing) and pours the dressing over the top. Gingerly slides pan onto rack, keeping fingers crossed that the Jimmy-Rig will hold. While chicken is baking, he suggests we listen to music.

6:40 pm - I follow him into the living room to find 2 basic pieces of furniture. The entertainment center (of course) and the love seat. How convenient. We had no choice but to sit arm-to-arm on the love-seat while flipping through his CD collection. We discover that we have SEVERAL of the same CD's. We laugh at one CD in particular, which he admits that owning makes him a bit of a nerd. I confess that I too own the same CD. Then I laugh and reveal that not only do I own the CD, but I also bought the 6-part Women's Choral sheet music for it. He asked if I had a secret choir or something. I tell him, "no - I just liked the song so much." He makes some comment like, "Wow - that IS nerdy!"

7:10 pm - the chicken is done. I follow him to the kitchen. He takes the chicken out of the oven and dishes some onto a plate for me. Then he begins to spoon some of the sauce for me. And there was something about the way he spooned the sauce. He did it with such exactness - weights and balances - like perhaps only a True Techie would. I start to giggle.

He turns and looks at me and asks, "What's so funny?"

I reply, "Just the way you're spooning the sauce."

Confused, but jokingly he says, "Would YOU like to do this?"

He sort of drops the spoon into the pan and places his hand on the small of my back as if to guide me closer to the pan. My heart skips a beat at the touch of his hand, and I find myself taking a quick gasp of air. I turn to face him. I sort of place my hands on his arms. I tell him I find his spooning technique quite attractive. He begins to have this nervous little "twitch" in his left cheek, which only makes him cuter. After staring at each other for a few minutes - which feels like eternity he says, "The food's getting cold."

I reply, "uh-huh."

"Aren't you hungry?" he asks.

I can't stop staring (which he tells me later is my "come hither look", and I simply give a shoulder shrug. With that, he sort of smiles and then...then...well...then...

[Screeching Halt] Hang on - I gotta keep some of the details private!!!

That pretty much sums up how Big-D & I met. Now I know there have been several other questions. I will do my best to answer them here...

Yes. Russian Chicken is actually REALLY good. (We also had stuffing and fruit salad.)

Yes. The nick-name Big-D does have significance. He is one of two IT Guys for a company of the same name.

No. I am not going to tell you his REAL name! I gotta protect my assets [from all the other SF seeking SM]!

No. He does not have any children of his own.

Yes. He has met my children.

Yes. We are the same age. He is actually 5 days older.

No. We do not discuss politics too often. But when we do, he does not act like he is always right. And as it turns out, we do agree on several issues.

Yes. He IS allowed to go on fishing trips by himself without my permission.

No. I have not gotten him a Superman Costume (to answer your question, GreenOlive).

Yes. He owns his own place.

Yes. He actually enjoys listening to me talk (he even said so) and he is a GREAT listener.

No. He does not tell me what to think or how to feel. He tells me not to apologize for who I am, and that I can say whatever I want and that I can Blog about whatever I choose to.

Yes. He knows I am posting this Blog about him. And Yes, he will probably be all shy and modest about it.

Yes. He really does Trail Run and enters races too. He is in great shape!

No. He does not enjoy staying up/out late like I do. (I guess all the running wears him out?)

No. He is not just a pawn in my game. This is not a game.

What? What did you just ask? Gee...I don't know! My crystal ball isn't exactly working. I guess we will just have to wait and see where it goes. One step at a time, geesh!

And finally...

Yes...

...He had me at Hello the sauce.