The OkCupid Challenge

Throughout April and May I will be hosting "The OkCupid Challenge", a special competition that encourages my friends to to help me find dates online. I've decided that I need creative ways of asking for help in finding me a boyfriend because YES, I AM THAT LONELY. And also, that's what friends are for.

Here's the skinny:

• Every two weeks, a new friend will redo my OkCupid profile to their liking, with the hopes that the profile they build gets me a high number of responses and (fingers crossed) in-person dates. 
• The creator of the profile that receives the highest number of responses will receive a free dinner to any place of their choosing.
• Any creator of any profile that lands me in person dates will receive special prizes to be announced.
• Lies and misleading information about me (or what I look like) is not allowed.

The challenge starts tomorrow! And I already have a full schedule through the end of May. :)

I've decided to use my blog to chronicle as much of this experience as possible. I've created a separate tab for this challenge that you can check out as you like. 

I will share highlights from each competitors' choice in profile, the down-low on responses I receive, and any dates that I go on.

Let the games begin! 

2012: A Time Odssey

2012 Remembered: A Time Odyssey

Lately, I'd been feeling like 2012 had been a really rough year for me. But on a drive back from Houston after new years, I found myself reminiscing with friends about our favorite moments of 2012. This ended up being a very important conversation and experience, in discovering how easy it can be to get wrapped up in the crap instead of in the treasures.

So this is my personal reflection of all of the really great things that happened this year, and my collective high fives and hugs to everyone who made it possible.

Here were some really awesome moments:

1. My trip to Chicago to meet up with John Crouse VII. Elevator rides, museum adventures, the sweaty underground dance club where we dropped some mad skills, trying to park during a Cubs game, and frolicking around town with his friends. It was such a blast.


2. The adventures of Seven's Sister Wives---Amy Doozles Spencer came back from her summer away from Austin and John Crouse VII and Jorge Antonio Muñoz ended up being the only dudes there. I think it was my fault for inviting men to ladies' night! Anyway, it was a seriously fun time of pretending Seven lived a polygamist lifestyle, dancing super hard at the clurb, and a memorable collection of photos. 

3. That night that Leah Sutton and Amanda Cooper came over to our house for the first time, which also happened to be one of Cam's first nights as our roommate. So many things were happening at once! Paloma was cutting Daniel Smith's hair, we were making up ridiculous Spanish songs, we put on hand tattoos and then ended our night eating free nachos at Bingo.


4. Our 4th of July Backyard Gladiators party that basically turned into an adult fraternity party. This party had everything: outdoor games, every blow up pool and toy imaginable (so much so that I broke  my air compressor), the most enthusiastic living room dance-a-long to Michael Jackson's "Will You Be There?", our first time playing Cards Against Humanity (complete with major laughing fits), and a night time outdoor viewing of Independence Day.


5. The return to National Karaoke League! I had such a blast introducing a bunch of new people to the league, reconnecting with various folks from different parts of my life, performing again, and learning to sing my heart out with a brace face! People can do some creative things with props--I saw the most amazing shopping cart performance, cardboard boxes made into every imaginable item, and kept on top of world news through teams' skits. The league actually made me more intelligent, so thank you.


6. Murder Mystery on the Sea Cruise--someone died, everyone had to solve the murder. People brought the most delicious dishes...now I KNOW they can cook and I never let them off the hook for future events. :)  We broke in Paul and Diana's brand new beautiful house, two people made "more than friends" connection, I got to wear a mustache and captain's hat...it was a win-win-win situation all around.


7. Anthony and Natalie's Landscape Makeover TV Show filming--it was such a cool experience to see how makeover shows are filmed and to help my brother and sister-in-law receive a totally new front-yard. So many friends and family came out to help make it happen. Plus, there was tons of yummy free food all day and I learned how to paint a house!

8. This one night that my brother Matt and I were coming home from the bars and we were loudly singing along to "I'm Like a Bird". When it got to the woo-woo-woo-woo-woos, my brother hit them right on target...and I just about died laughing. It was a simple joy in life, riding home with my bro and enjoying a sing-a-long together.

9. My experience with Mortified. It was a cathartic process for me and I learned so much about my younger self and my life journey. Reading my teenage writing to a large audience took a lot more courage than I thought it would, but those nights were probably the most I laughed all year because we all share the painful awareness of how awkward and  challenging growing up is.

10. Lunches with the boys. Dustin, Steed, and Josh and "sometimes Stephen" are my most favorite lunch buddies....and  I look forward to anytime we can get together (in any combination) and talk about everything silly and serious.

11. Not one, but TWO themed pub crawls hosted by Paloma--dressing up like Bill Murray in "What About Bob?" AND taking body shots in said costume, was one of the best moments of 2012 for me personally. But a close second was the SNL pub crawl, full of some of my favorite characters, climbing trees, falling over, and acting rowdy.

12. Learning how to play Settlers of Catan with Alejos, Adrian and Tim while I was in Lubbock. Who knew trading ore, wheat, sheep and brick could be so much fun!

13. Party Bus for Maria and Adrienne's birthday. I am STILL recovering from all of the fun. 

14. The New Year's Eve Wizard's Ball in Houston--anytime I can dress up like my magical alter-ego(s), I am a happy girl. And anywhere there are wizards, I am totally there. It was the perfect way to spend New Year's, away from my city and completely focused on being with some of my favorite people. Plus, I did get to visit a rather magical wizard's portal that night. ;)

This is a poem about holding hands,

and how it inevitably changes everything

About how the moment you feel someone's fingers,

Curled in yours,

You are home, intertwined.

There are no more lines of this poem left to describe,

What happens when you let go.

1/25/12

MA

Outside, at a Party

He looks her in the face

(A face dewey from the mist outside)

And tells her,

"I don't love you."

But she persists,

With batting eyelashes

(Flitting with nervousness and hope)

And proudly rebuffs,

"I don't believe you."

And so they stand there,

In total silence

(The kind of silence that is brief and yet lasts forever)

And he knows she is right.

And she knows now she must leave him.

But neither can begin to end it.

So they quiet their heart's desires,

Outside, at a party

And simply say "Goodnight" instead.

-3/28/12

MA

Awake & Asleep

Here are three songs that are currently keeping my heart awake at night, and a reason to sleep to dream.

"I get so haunted, I fall in your dreams tonight
I get so haunted, That I misunderstood tonight
This is real, this is what you search out
And you wouldn't believe, you could never say it's true."

"Blow by blowI didn't see it comingBlow by blowSucker Punched
Rushes inHere to stayRushes inYou are here to stay"


"Might be holding your hand but I'm holding it loose"
http://youtu.be/T9yGcKlYAiw

And So It Is So

And so it is

So-

I cannot live without:

music, trees, love

You, so

I

will give you time to decide:

this, that, us-

A song with a bridge

Or a song only with chorus

One great weeping willow

Or a large redwood forest

And so that is

So-

I am standing here:

notes, branches, heart

You, so

We

will fall asleep separate, together, in love.

1/24/12

Things Change Over Time

Things change over time. The way a moment felt can take many shapes and forms as it settles in your memory. I experienced this chapter of my life in stages: excitement, disappointment, anger, understanding. But there will always be a certain nostalgia about what this person and the moment taught me from a "bigger picture" perspective. I enjoyed reading the two different ways I told this story, from my memory's own record.

For the Record ("For the Future")

Fleetwood Mac, Tom Petty;

You sang along softly in my ear

Displayed record collection, misplaced feelings;

I melted on your ugly green couch.

Wine filled mind, emptied hearts;

I will always feel this moment,

Solitarily, inevitably stoned.

-MA

6/11/12

For the Record

I melted on your ugly plaid couch,

With a wine filled mind and an emptied out heart.

I’m not trying to sound like I am holding on

To the past,

Here.

You let me play Fleetwood Mac,

For the first time in years, truth was in the music

I’m merely mentioning what is fact,

Not exaggerated,

After.

I danced with you in your living room,

Among your impressive displayed record collection and misplaced feelings

I’m just writing this all down,

As a reminder,

For the future.

8/21/11