The Hinge Experiment: Harry Potter, Butterbeer, and a 2 AM Departure!
Last weekend, after attending the South Carolina Forum, I got to spend more time with Airica, and it was awesome.
We had the meat sweats at the Brazilian steakhouse, followed by salad and ice cream. Then, on Sunday, we went out for Mexican food.
Or, as they call it in Mexico…
Food.
You're welcome. I'll be here all week.
But that was last weekend. This weekend, things are getting a little more magical. By magical, I mean I'm about to do something that requires an alarm clock at an hour when most people are still dreaming about it.
Airica Has a Date With the State Fair
This Saturday, Airica is heading to the South Carolina State Fair with her family.
She's looking forward to getting her nieces and nephews some elephant ears. For those unfamiliar with fair food, elephant ears are those enormous pieces of fried dough covered in sugar and other deliciousness that make you question every nutritional decision you've made that week.
And what about Airica?
She's planning a little fair surf-and-turf for herself.
I hope she has a fantastic time with her family. I'm sure the kids will enjoy the rides, games, and treats, while the adults will be doing the usual calculations about how much money they just spent on a stuffed animal that cost more than dinner.
I'll be sitting this one out.
Why?
Because Sunday is Harry Potter day.
We're Going to COSM Atlanta!
On Sunday, Airica and I are heading to Atlanta for something called Shared Reality at COSM.
If you're unfamiliar with COSM, it's an immersive entertainment experience that combines a massive, high-resolution dome display with shared experiences that make you feel like you're stepping into another world.
You can learn more about the experience here:
COSM: The Experience
And what better way to experience this than with Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone?
Yes, we're going to experience Harry Potter in Shared Reality.
There's just one little detail.
The showing starts at 8 AM.
Eight.
In.
The.
Morning.
Who Schedules Harry Potter at 8 AM?
Let's do some math.
The drive from Mount Pleasant to Columbia is approximately two hours.
The drive from Columbia to Atlanta is approximately three hours.
That means I'm looking at about five hours of driving to get to Atlanta, depending on traffic.
And because I need to pick up Airica in Columbia before heading to Atlanta, here's the plan:
2 AM: Leave home in Mount Pleasant.
4 AM: Arrive in Columbia and pick up Airica.
4 AM–7 AM: Drive to Atlanta.
7 AM: Arrive, park, and prepare for the experience.
8 AM: Harry Potter begins.
Around 11 AM: Finish the approximately three-hour experience.
That's right.
I'm leaving home at 2 AM on a Sunday to take a woman I met on Hinge to see Harry Potter.
Somewhere, Steve, the Iguana, is looking at his life choices and wondering how he ended up on the sidelines while I drive across Georgia before sunrise.
A few weeks ago, I wondered whether to delete Hinge because I had no matches.
Now I'm planning a road trip that requires me to wake up at an hour usually reserved for vampires, hospital workers, and people who have made questionable life decisions.
The Hinge Experiment has escalated.
There's a Special Harry Potter Menu!
Now, here's where things get interesting.
COSM has a special food-and-beverage offering for the Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone Shared Reality experience.
You can read the details here:
Harry Potter Shared Reality: Special Food and Beverage Offerings at COSM
Naturally, I had to investigate.
There's a Shepherd's Pie offering, and I purchased one for Airica.
Just one.
Why just one?
Because Shepherd's Pie at 8 AM is not my idea of breakfast.
I understand that we're entering the Wizarding World. I understand that the food is part of the experience. I understand that Harry Potter has probably eaten stranger things than Shepherd's Pie.
But I have my limits.
I'm a man who can eat Brazilian steakhouse meat until he experiences the meat sweats. I'm a man who's had shrimp and grits, rib eye cooked medium-well, and enough candy to stock a small convenience store.
Yet somehow, the thought of Shepherd's Pie first thing in the morning has me saying, "No, thank you."
Airica gets the Shepherd's Pie.
I'll stick with whatever else looks appealing.
And Then There's Butterbeer
I've also never had Butterbeer.
Yes, I know.
Apparently, this is a significant omission in my life.
I've watched movies, reviewed movies, driven to theaters, and even traveled to Pooler, Georgia, to experience the world's tallest IMAX screen.
But Butterbeer?
Nope.
I've never tried it.
I may take a sip.
Just a sip.
I'm not committing to a full Butterbeer experience until I know what I'm getting into.
For all I know, it’ll taste like cream soda and butterscotch, with a magical sugar rush that will have me bouncing off the walls before we even leave Atlanta.
And considering we're starting this adventure at 2 AM, I may need all the assistance I can get.
The Hinge Experiment Has Come a Long Way
Think about where this started.
I was on Hinge, wondering whether to delete the app.
No matches.
No conversations.
No dates.
Steve the Iguana was preparing to become my permanent companion.
Then I matched with Airica.
We talked.
We met for lunch in Columbia.
I nearly fell into a booth at The Grand.
We laughed, talked about our lives, and spent four hours together.
Then came the Brazilian steakhouse, the meat sweats, the gifts, and my first Boo Basket.
Now we're planning an early-morning road trip to Atlanta to experience Harry Potter in Shared Reality.
That's quite a progression.
I'm not going to pretend I know where this is going. We're still getting to know each other, and that's part of the fun.
But I do know this: I'm enjoying the experience.
I'm enjoying the conversations, the laughter, the time together, and the opportunity to do something different.
And if you had told me a few weeks ago that I'd be leaving my house at 2 AM to drive to Atlanta with someone I met on a dating app, I probably would have asked what you were smoking.
Now I'm checking the route, planning the departure time, and wondering whether Butterbeer is worth the hype.
Stay Tuned!
Saturday is the South Carolina State Fair for Airica and her family.
Sunday is Harry Potter, Shared Reality, a very early departure, and possibly my first sip of Butterbeer.
I'll report back.
Will I survive the drive?
Will the experience be worth waking up at 2 AM?
Will Airica enjoy her Shepherd's Pie?
Will I discover that Butterbeer is the greatest beverage ever created?
And most importantly, will Steve the Iguana finally admit that The Hinge Experiment is working?
Stay tuned!
The adventure continues.
A Weekend Stay at the Hilton Garden Inn in Downtown Columbia
This past weekend, I stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn in downtown Columbia, South Carolina, arriving Friday and leaving Sunday afternoon. I was in town for an event at the University of South Carolina’s Rice Law Building, directly across the street. I was also part of a large group of more than 100 people. The Hilton Garden Inn shares several facilities with the neighboring Home2 Suites, including the pool, lobby space, restaurant and bar, and parking.
Check-in was easy: my key was ready, and I was in my room in no time. The property is clean, bright, and modern. The front desk staff was friendly and helpful throughout my stay. The manager, whose name I didn’t catch, was especially kind and attentive.
A comfortable room, with a lighting drawback
My room was clean and well appointed. The bed was comfortable, and the HVAC system kept the temperature steady with very little fluctuation. The bathroom was spacious, too.
The room did feel quite dark, though. The switch near the door turns on a light by the entrance, but there isn’t a convenient light closer to the sleeping and living area. A little more lighting would make the room much more comfortable.
A helpful response to an accessibility issue
After checking in, I realized I hadn’t been assigned an ADA room with a roll-in shower and bench. I had a traditional shower with a door, and asked the front desk whether the hotel had a shower chair. It didn’t.
The event organizer arranged the room block, so I don’t blame the hotel for the original assignment. The manager offered to move me to a room with a roll-in shower and made sure I was comfortable with the change. She gave me new keys for the new room, along with a replacement key for my previous room, and offered to come upstairs to make sure everything worked. I told her I was fine, and the move went smoothly.
I appreciated how thoughtfully she handled the situation. At the same time, the accessible room itself could be more usable. The mounted body wash, shampoo, and conditioner were under the showerhead and out of reach from the bench, especially for someone with short arms. Towels weren’t placed near the roll-in shower, and the room was far from the elevator. The room was accessible, but these details made it feel as if the design met a minimum standard without fully considering how guests would use it.
Parking, housekeeping, and dining
Parking can be difficult when the shared lot is nearly full, though several ADA spaces are available. On Saturday night, during torrential rain, I temporarily parked close to the Hilton Garden Inn entrance. Later, the manager noticed I had moved my car to a spot much farther away and told me I could have left it closer. I appreciated the gesture—and told her I didn’t want to take advantage of her kindness.
There was no daily housekeeping during my stay. I’m not sure whether that’s standard or related to the group booking. After I spilled something on the bed, I called down for fresh linens. The “0” guest services button on the room phone didn’t work, but once I reached the front desk, the linens arrived in about 20 minutes.
I also ordered a salad from the hotel restaurant and ate it there. The salad was acceptable, though serving it in a plastic takeout box felt a little tacky.
Would I stay again?
The hotel’s location was excellent for my event; the property was clean, and I slept comfortably. The staff—especially the manager—made a strong impression with their helpfulness and kindness.
I may stay here again. I’d be glad to see the hotel improve the practical details of its ADA rooms, particularly the shower setup and placement of toiletries and towels.
The Hinge Experiment: Meat Sweats, My First Boo Basket, and Eyebrow Shenanigans
I'm in downtown Columbia, South Carolina, this weekend for a South Carolina government forum. Some of my fraternity brothers may not be shocked to learn about my participation, and I even made the local news! Want to know more about that adventure? Check out my other blog post.
But that's not the only reason I'm in Columbia.
The real bonus? I get to spend time with Airica.
And last night, we took things to an entirely new level.
Forget the Salad. Bring on the Meat!
We went to a Brazilian steakhouse.
If you've never been to one, let me explain. They bring meat to your table, and then they bring more meat. And when you think you've had enough meat, somebody shows up with another kind of meat.
It's basically a carnivore's all-you-can-eat buffet.
Now, most people start with appetizers. There's salad, smoked salmon, and sides like onion rings and fried okra.
We skipped all of that nonsense.
Who needs salad when there's an entire parade of meat coming your way?
We went straight for the main attraction. Steak, meat, more meat, and then meat that showed up just when you thought you couldn't possibly eat another bite.
And we kept eating.
And eating.
And eating.
At some point, I think my stomach filed a formal complaint with management.
But we weren't just eating.
We were laughing.
A lot.
Transparency, Laughter, and Getting to Know Each Other
One thing I've enjoyed about getting to know Airica is that we can talk about our pasts.
And let's face it, we all have a past.
Some of it is funny. Some of it isn't. Some of it involves decisions we might make differently today. Some of it helps explain why we are who we are now.
We talked openly and transparently about our lives, shared stories, and laughed together.
Neither of us needed to pretend we’d lived some perfectly curated existence.
I appreciate that.
At this stage of my life, I'm not looking for somebody who has never made a mistake. I'm interested in getting to know the person sitting across from me, understanding what matters to her, and seeing whether we enjoy spending time together.
Last night, we certainly had a great time.
Although I may have enjoyed myself a little too much.
The meat sweats were real.
I'm pretty sure I consumed enough protein to keep a small village going for a week.
And somewhere between the laughter and the endless procession of meat, something else happened.
My First Boo Basket!
Remember how I mentioned Airica suggested I might get a Boo Basket?
Well...
IT HAPPENED!
I received my first Boo Basket.
For those unfamiliar, a Boo Basket is a gift basket, typically filled with treats and goodies, given as a fun seasonal surprise.
And now I can officially say I've received one.
At 54, after years of dating misadventures, questionable decisions, and enough stories to keep this blog going for the foreseeable future, I have finally entered the Boo Basket era.
I have to admit, it feels pretty good.
Previously, my first-date souvenirs included paying for meals, a few hurricanes, and money that mysteriously ended up covering somebody else's rent and phone bill.
This time?
I got a gift basket.
Ladies and gentlemen, The Hinge Experiment is showing measurable improvement.
I'm not saying there's a direct correlation between a successful first date and receiving a Boo Basket, but I'm certainly not going to argue with the results.
Tonight: Sweets, Laughter, and Potential Eyebrow Crimes
If last night was about meat, tonight may be about sweets.
And apparently, there may also be some eyebrow-related insanity.
For those keeping up with the ongoing saga, Airica has already issued a formal directive:
DO NOT TOUCH THOSE EYEBROWS.
The eyebrows are staying.
Ming the Merciless lives!
My fraternity brothers have reminded me about my bushy eyebrows during our Tuesday and Friday Zoom hangouts. A guy at a recovery meeting has compared me to Ming the Merciless. Now Airica has made it clear she likes them as they are.
At this point, I'm afraid to touch them.
What happens if I trim them and she doesn't recognize me?
What happens if I go for threading and accidentally remove half my personality?
What happens if I show up looking like a completely different person?
I could lose my entire identity.
The eyebrows aren't just facial hair anymore. They're a relationship issue.
So tonight, there may be sweets, more laughs, and whatever eyebrow-related insanity Airica has planned.
I'm not sure whether I should be excited or afraid.
Possibly both.
Columbia Is Turning Into a Pretty Good Weekend
I came to Columbia for a South Carolina government forum.
I participated in something that may surprise a few people who know me, and I even appeared on the local news. That's a story for my other blog.
But the unexpected bonus has been spending time with Airica.
We've shared a meal, laughed until we could barely keep going, talked about our lives, exchanged gifts, and continued getting to know each other.
And somewhere along the way, the guy who was seriously considering deleting Hinge has found himself planning weekends around a woman he met on the app.
A few weeks ago, my Hinge inbox was emptier than a refrigerator after a fraternity party.
Now I'm in Columbia, eating enough meat to require a second stomach, receiving Boo Baskets, and trying to figure out whether my eyebrows need legal representation.
I did not see this coming.
I'm glad I took a chance on meeting someone new.
I'm glad we can laugh together.
And I'm glad I can enjoy someone's company without feeling like I need to perform or pretend to be somebody I'm not.
That's what I'm enjoying about this experience.
It's not about whether every date leads somewhere. It's about getting out there, being open to new experiences, and discovering whether there's a connection worth exploring.
Right now, this connection gives me plenty to smile about.
The Hinge Experiment: Current Status
The match happened.
The first date happened.
The second round of hanging out is happening.
The conversations are continuing.
The Boo Basket has been received.
The meat sweats have subsided. Mostly.
And the eyebrows remain untouched.
Steve the Iguana may need to reconsider his retirement plans.
As for me, I'm going to enjoy the rest of my weekend in Columbia.
Tonight, there may be sweets, laughter, and some eyebrow-related shenanigans.
Tomorrow, who knows?
One thing is certain: when I started The Hinge Experiment, I never imagined I'd be writing about Brazilian steakhouses, Boo Baskets, and the continuing adventures of Ming the Merciless's eyebrows.
But here we are.
And I'm having a pretty good time.
Stay tuned. The Hinge Experiment continues!
How I Made It to Columbia for the Inaugural South Carolina Forum
I’m proud to be in Columbia for the inaugural South Carolina Forum—a gathering built on a simple but powerful idea: people with different viewpoints can work together.
We may not agree on everything, but we can listen to one another, find common ground, and move forward together. That’s the work we’ll be doing here: showing our state, our nation, and the world what’s possible when people come to the table with open minds and a willingness to work toward agreement.
I’m grateful to be part of this effort, and I’m looking forward to the conversations and progress ahead.
I’m proud to be at Columbia for the inaugural South Carolina Forum—a gathering built around a simple but powerful idea: people with different viewpoints can work together.
We may not agree on everything, but we can listen to one another, find common ground, and move forward together. That’s the work we’ll be doing here: showing our state, our nation, and the world what’s possible when people come to the table with open minds and a willingness to work toward agreement.
I’m grateful to be part of this effort, and I’m looking forward to the conversations and progress ahead.
The Hinge Experiment: Harry Potter, Market Research and a Very Profitable Weekend
Apparently, the universe has decided that The Hinge Experiment™ needs a travel budget.
I found out yesterday that I might be able to go to Columbia, South Carolina, this weekend for a two-day market research interview/discussion.
That sounds pretty good on its own.
Then I found out there was a small problem.
Airica was hoping we could go see the Harry Potter experience at COSM in Atlanta.
Well, that ain't happening.
Atlanta will have to wait.
But then I realized something.
Airica is in Columbia.
And suddenly, this market research weekend got a whole lot more interesting.
Wait... This Actually Works
The original plan was Harry Potter in Atlanta.
Instead, we're going to have:
Friday night: Dinner with Airica.
Saturday: I do my market research session, then we hang out afterward.
Sunday afternoon: More time together.
So instead of one Harry Potter adventure in Atlanta, I potentially get three opportunities to hang out with Airica in Columbia.
I'm calling that a win.
And there's another little detail that makes this weekend even better.
Somebody Is Paying Me to Go on This Trip
Let's review the economics here.
I'm getting:
A hotel for the weekend.
Food during the market research sessions.
Payment for participating.
And 72 cents per mile for the drive.
Seventy-two cents.
Per.
Mile.
When can I do another one of these?
Seriously.
Where do I sign up?
If somebody wants to pay me to drive to Columbia, put me in a hotel, feed me, pay me for my time, and give me an opportunity to see Airica...
I suddenly have a very strong interest in market research.
I may become the world's foremost expert on answering questions in exchange for hotel rooms.
"Would you recommend this product?"
Absolutely.
"Why?"
Because you're paying me to be here.
Next question.
The Harry Potter Detour
I do feel bad that the Harry Potter plans aren't going to happen.
Airica wanted to see the Harry Potter movie at COSM in Atlanta.
Unfortunately, the timing of this market research opportunity makes that a no-go.
But here's the thing I've learned about dating:
Plans change.
Things come up.
We adjust.
And instead of spending the weekend apart because the original plan didn't work, we're finding a way to spend time together anyway.
Friday night.
Saturday after my session.
Sunday afternoon.
I'm pretty sure that's significantly better than sitting in my hotel room eating whatever they give me and watching television.
Although I reserve the right to do that for at least part of Saturday night.
I'm 54.
I'm allowed to get tired.
Then Came This Morning
This morning, I beat Airica to the "Good morning" text.
This is apparently becoming a competition.
And I have to admit, I hesitated.
It was my usual dialysis morning.
The time when most normal human beings are asleep.
The time when I'm awake because I have an appointment with the vampire machine to clean my blood.
The dialysis facility was also short-staffed, so I ended up sitting in the waiting area.
And while I was sitting there, I thought:
Should I text her?
It's early.
Really early.
Most of the world isn't awake at the hour I willingly allow a machine to remove approximately every useful thing from my blood while someone sticks two needles into my arm.
Would "Good morning" at this hour be considered sweet?
Or would it be considered:
"Why the hell is this guy texting me at 5-something in the morning?"
There's a fine line between romantic and requiring a restraining order.
I decided to risk it.
I sent the message.
Apparently, I'm Learning
One thing I've noticed about this whole experience is how different it feels.
I'm not trying to manufacture conversation.
I'm not sitting there wondering if I'm going to get a response.
I'm not staring at a Hinge screen wondering why someone disappeared.
We're actually talking.
We're making plans.
And now we're figuring out how to make a weekend work when the original plan doesn't.
That's dating.
At least, I think that's dating.
Remember, I'm the guy whose recent dating résumé includes being asked for rent money and a phone bill.
My qualifications are limited.
Columbia, Here I Come
So now I get to drive to Columbia, get paid to participate in market research, get reimbursed for the mileage, stay in a hotel, eat someone else's food...
and see Airica three times.
Harry Potter may have lost.
But I think I came out pretty well in the rewrite.
And somewhere, Steve the Iguana is probably sitting on a beach wondering how the hell this happened.
A few weeks ago, I was seriously considering deleting Hinge.
Now I'm planning a weekend around a woman I met on it.
Maybe The Hinge Experiment isn't quite ready to end.
Maybe it's just getting interesting.
And if anyone knows where I can sign up for another two-day market research study in a city where Airica happens to live...
I'm available. 😂