We all know that in most Western countries the art of Speed Dating is no longer new in the ear since it is already a regular, or more of a usual event that happens once in a while. In the Philippine setting meanwhile, not every person is aware of what Speed Dating is all about, and how it really works.

I had my first taste of Speed Dating pre-Valentines of 2009 in an affair conducted by ICE productions called, “Single Hearts”. It was my first, and I had zero idea on how the whole process actually works. For all I know is that everyone will sit and will have the chance to do the talking with different girls for a short period of time, and after which either the male or the female will make their move to the next seat facing another potential date.

Try to recall your first day in college where orientations for block sections are usually conducted in order to get to know your new peers well. The same thing applies in Speed Dating. First things first, registration is needed in order to join the event. Second, you have to send your name, contact number and picture –usually via e-mail – , and not to mention, you have to be SINGLE (to be fair) in order to qualify for the game. Notification follows after which.

On the actual event, checking of names at the registration booth happens first, then name tags would be distributed after. These name tags are required to be worn by each individual during the entire process of the game.

Moving on inside the venue, speed daters are usually gathered where seats are already aligned and arranged. Male speed daters must be seated face-to-face with female speed daters. During the idle time of waiting for the other speed daters, don’t be surprised if some speed daters who are already in the venue would do the initiation to introduce themselves. You could do the same and eventually notice that some speed daters go to the event alone. So don’t be intimidated whenever you feel like approaching the cute girl seated across you.

In the event when everyone is already present and the list is in complete attendance, the host will most likely conduct several parlor games for all speed daters. The purpose of which is to build teamwork, and moreover to break the ice and barricades hindering each individual. Games usually allow each speed dater the chance to chat with their fellow teammates, as if you are just chatting with an acquaintance from high school while playing.

After the parlor games, the host will then start the whole essence of speed dating. Just imagine the setting of a tea party where seats are all facing each other. In my case, the females are the ones who must transfer to the next seat, every after the host says so. So usually a few minutes are given for each couple to get to know each other, and what amazes me the most is how you get to know the character, persona and little background of several people in a short span of time. I felt like I was a talking machine that needs to talk non-stop because once the actual speed dating starts, there will be no water breaks.

My mouth and butt literally hurt badly after. But the thought that you get to indulge yourself in something crazy and spontaneous like this (picture out talking to like 50 girls non-stop and getting to know the details and brief descriptions and backgrounds of each after the other) blew all the pain off. In formal speed dating, the host usually gives away a card to each speed dater for them to list down the girls that they find attractive. The host will usually conduct a compatibility test if who matches whom, and after which they give away the number of your match. This means to say, it must be a win-win situation where both parties agree that both of them are a possible match.

In my speed dating experience though, after the chitchat, a paper is attached at the back of each speed dater and any random girls can write at my back without me knowing which of the numerous messages written belongs to whom. After the writing segment, you will get the chance to learn the views, perspectives, comments, and opinions of the girls towards your personality, performance and being. In my case, I received positive feedback.

The event usually wraps up with awards for the best dressers, good-looking couple, potential couples and the likes. Sponsored products are given away after which, and if you are gutsy enough, you could start exchanging digits to other speed daters.

At the end of the day though, whether you still label yourself as single or not, speed dating does not really guarantee relationships, yet you will learn that it is a very safe and healthy environment to meet potential partners, and even lovers.

For our PGG readers,  have you ever joined speed dating? How was it like?

Tim is a 19-year-old Hotel, Restaurant, and Institution Management student, who considers himself as a modern Pinoy, and a great appreciator of male fashion. Tim hopes to share his experiences, and help the timid guys to get out of their old comfort zones in order to experience the zest that comes within a modern Pinoy.

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My friend and I decided to have a drink in a bar in Makati. Kararating nya lang galing States and looks pretty “boring” pero in reality he belongs to one of the most prominent families here in the Philippines. He looks good and neat so medyo lapitin. There was this good-looking girl who was staring at him at the bar where we were just talking about stuff and the HS times we had. Cars, girls and the likes. Kwentong lalake lang. Tapos biglang lumapit yung girl and this is how it went.

Girl: Hi
Friend: Hello
Girl: Haven’t seen you before, tiga dito ka ba?
Friend: Not really. Just hanging around I guess.
* Tumunog yung phone ng friend ko which was a low-end phone.

Girl: Ay! Why is your phone like that?
Friend: Why?
Girl: Kasi I don’t date guys who have lower phone models than I have eh. I have the iPhone kasi.
Friend: So why did you bother approaching me?

*Nakialam na ko
Me: Miss, if you intend to look for a gold mine, go find it somewhere else. We’re just enjoying ourselves here.
Girl: Hay naku! Poor people. Sayang gwapo pa naman kasama mo kaso…
Friend: Just leave ok?
*So umalis na yung girl. To get off some steam, lumabas kami ng bar to smoke. So kwento kwento pa rin kami. Lumabas din yung girl to meet up with some friends of hers (hot girls, if I may add). Then we just felt that we were their topic. Sobrang na bad trip na yung friend ko so we decided to pay the bill and head somewhere else. While we were waiting for the car na pina-park namin sa valet, lumapit na naman yung girl.

Girl: So you’re waiting for a cab? How cheap.

* Di nalang namin pinansin yung girl. Then nagkamurahan na dahil sa sobrang galit ng friend ko. Yung girl kasi medyo high na lasing e. Then lumayo na ulit sya. Tapos may dumating na guy na naka Corolla. Then nagpabayo yung guy dun sa parking lot. Medyo malayo kasi yun pinag-parkan ng valet so medyo natagalan. Sumigaw na naman yun girl sa amin ng ganito.

Girl: Do you have this ha?
* Then parang nagpapaka show girl sya sa kotse nung guy. Finally dumating na yung car ng friend ko and guess what? It’s a Audi R8. Napatanga yung babae at biglang lapit na naman.

Girl: Uy! I’m sorry na. Sige na you can take me home na! We’ll have so much fun.
Friend: Get off my effin face!
* Sumakay na kami and my friend just looked at them with a grin sabay zooom…. Buti na lang my friend kept his cool a little bit kasi kung ako yun baka sinampal ko. Muntik na nga e.

And in case you were wondering what an Audi R8 is…

Image credit: Mrapplegate | License

It’s IronMan’s car in the movie. I wish I saw the girl’s reaction upon seeing this car. So guys next time, beware of gold-diggers!

How about you? Ever experienced anything like that?

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*Other image credit: Sidehike

Cool huh? Good thing the TV station’s production staff are his friends. How about you? How would you do your marriage proposal?

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“Do you have a spare cigarette?”

I learned this pick-up line from a PGG reader who posted a comment here. His story goes something like this:

‘This is the weirdest…public smoking areas. It happened to me several times and i got scared coz some women would just simply ask if i have a spare cigarette. I had the chance to share the story with my sister..and she said: “Kuya, you are soo slow…that’s a pick-up line!”’

It’s funny because I didn’t know that it was a pick-up line indeed. If I was in his place, I would have simply handed over a spare cigarette. But no, I don’t smoke.

“Hey, you look familiar – have we met?”

This one is so common and it’s very obvious. Even guys use this pick-up line but it works all the time especially when you want to strike up a conversation during times you have no idea what to say. And yes, the ladies use them more often than you think.

Image credit: Enggul|CC

“Do you have an extra coin?”

In our office, we have a vendo machine where we could buy some snacks at a lower price. And based from my own experience there was a girl who was a new hire a few weeks ago. It happened to be that I was near the vendo machine when she was buying some Oreo. So it looked like she was running out of coins when all of a sudden she turned to me and asked “Do you have an extra coin?”. So I said yes and gave her some. Before I knew it, we were already chatting around.

“Hey, I like your shirt”

I would never forget my female officemate who told me about this pick-up line. She didn’t use it on me because we’re already friends in the first place, but during one of our lunch-outs she told us that her most-used pick-up line when she meets someone she likes goes something like “Hey, I like your shirt”. According to her, guys are clueless about this, but it is a pick-up line.

Smile

Don’t get me wrong – it’s not a pick-up line, but it’s a woman’s body language. Some women are just too shy to think of a clever pick-up line so they use their charm by smiling. So in case a pretty stranger smiles at you, it’s time for you to use your own pick-up line!

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