Niel Flamm 10/19/26 Niel Flamm 10/19/26

The Hinge Experiment: 600 Miles, Two Hours of Sleep, and Harry Potter!

If someone had told me a few months ago that I'd be driving more than 600 miles in one day, running on approximately two hours of sleep, watching Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone with a woman I met on Hinge, and nearly choking on a jalapeño, I probably would have asked what they'd been drinking.

Yet here we are.

The Hinge Experiment has officially entered its road-trip era.

On Sunday, Airica and I headed to COSM Atlanta to experience Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone in Shared Reality. The showing was at 8 AM, which meant I needed to leave Mount Pleasant at 2 AM, pick up Airica in Columbia around 4 AM, and arrive in Atlanta around 7 AM.

Simple enough, right?

I had a plan. I was going to get to bed around 6 PM on Saturday, wake up at 1:15 AM, get ready, and hit the road.

What could go wrong?

The Plan Was Perfect. My Sleep Schedule Was Not.

I did everything I could to prepare.

I washed the car and filled up the gas tank Saturday afternoon. I bought a few things I knew Airica liked: gummy candies and scratch-off lottery tickets.

Neither of us is a millionaire.

Yet.

Apparently, our retirement strategy is to buy lottery tickets and hope for the best.

So sad.

I was ready for bed early, or at least I thought I was. The problem was that sleep wasn't cooperating.

I wasn't lying awake worrying about anything in particular. My mind wasn't racing through a thousand different scenarios. I couldn't fall asleep.

I got about two hours of sleep before it was time to get up and begin the adventure.

Excellent.

Nothing says responsible adult like voluntarily starting a 600-mile road trip in the middle of the night after barely sleeping.

For the record, I wouldn’t recommend this plan to anyone. I should have prioritized getting adequate rest before such a long drive. But at the time, I was committed to making the experience happen.

The Road to Columbia

I left Mount Pleasant around 2 AM.

The roads were wonderfully quiet. There were hardly any cars, and the drivers who were out seemed to be playing nicely with one another.

No traffic jams. No unnecessary drama. No one seemingly determined to turn a simple drive into a demolition derby.

I arrived in Columbia, picked up Airica, and headed toward Atlanta.

She was tired, too, and slept through much of the roughly three-hour drive.

We stopped for a bathroom break and a quick fuel top-up along the way.

And, according to my very unofficial observations, Airica snored.

Lightly.

Very lightly.

I'm not trying to get myself into trouble here. I'm simply documenting the facts for the historical record.

Besides, if someone can fall asleep while I'm driving them across state lines at four in the morning, I’ll take that as a sign they're reasonably comfortable with me.

Or they're just exhausted.

Possibly both.

Welcome to the Wizarding World!

We made it to COSM Atlanta with time to spare.

People dressed as characters from the Harry Potter universe added to the atmosphere. We walked in, checked in, and got everything sorted without any major complications.

The COSM dome also hosts NFL games during football season, so the venue's scale is impressive even before the movie starts.

We got our prepaid enchanted-menu items, plus some extra food and drinks. There were nachos and a few other things to enjoy.

And then it was time for Harry Potter.

I'd seen Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone before, so I knew the story and remembered parts of the film. But experiencing it alongside Airica made it more enjoyable.

I got to see her excitement and how completely she geeked out. Sometimes, watching someone enjoy something they love is almost as much fun as the experience itself.

I enjoyed seeing her reactions and sharing the experience.

I'll write a separate review of COSM and the Shared Reality technology, because there's plenty to discuss. For now, it's an impressive piece of technology, and where you sit really does matter.

A Little Harry Potter Shopping

After the movie, we stopped for a bathroom break, then headed back to the car and picked up a few souvenirs.

Airica was particularly disappointed that there wasn't a much bigger selection of Harry Potter merchandise to buy.

I suspect she’d envisioned a shopping spree.

Unfortunately, the merchandise operation wasn't quite the magical money grab she had hoped for.

She did come away with a Harry Potter scarf and a Quidditch picture. She even got a physical copy of the photo in a commemorative protective lanyard.

So she had something tangible to take home.

And I had another memory of spending time with her.

I'll call that a successful shopping expedition, even if the store failed to extract every last dollar from her wallet.

Then Came the Jalapeño Incident

Now, I need to address something important.

At some point during the day, I choked on a jalapeño because I accidentally inhaled it.

Yes.

I inhaled a jalapeño.

I don't know how one accomplishes this. I wasn't trying to eat it particularly quickly, and I wasn't auditioning for a competitive eating contest.

Yet somehow, a piece of pepper took a wrong turn.

After everything I'd done that day, driving hundreds of miles on almost no sleep and watching a three-hour movie, a jalapeño nearly took me out.

I have one leg. I have kidney failure. My eyesight has given me more than enough trouble over the years.

And now I apparently need to add pepper-related respiratory incidents to the list.

The Hinge Experiment continues to provide material I could never have made up.

The Ride Back

After the movie and souvenir shopping, it was time to head back.

We had some great conversations on the drive. My back and shoulders started getting stiff, which wasn't surprising after spending so many hours behind the wheel.

Airica slept for about an hour on the way back.

This time, there was no snoring.

I'm not sure whether that was because she was sleeping more quietly or because I was too tired to conduct any further scientific observations.

Either way, we talked more, shared more laughs, and eventually made it back to Columbia.

We said our goodbyes there, and I continued the final leg of my journey home to Mount Pleasant.

The Autobahn Would Like a Word

The drive from Columbia back to Mount Pleasant was a different story.

Traffic was heavier, and I encountered some drivers who apparently have never encountered the phrase "Slower Traffic Keep Right."

For those unfamiliar, the left lane is generally intended for passing on roads where that rule applies. If you're traveling slower than the traffic around you, move right when it's safe.

It's not complicated.

Yet some drivers seem determined to occupy the left lane indefinitely, regardless of how much traffic stacks up behind them.

I suspect they would not do particularly well on the Autobahn.

For the record, I am not advocating speeding or unsafe driving. I appreciate drivers who follow basic lane etiquette and let traffic flow.

By this point, my back was stiff, my shoulders were tired, and I'd been awake for far too long.

I was ready to get home.

Made It Home Safely

During the drive, I received a call and a few texts from Airica.

I finally arrived home around 4:30 PM and let her know I'd made it safely.

Then I did what any sensible person would do after a day like that.

I went to sleep.

I slept until around 3 AM, then woke up and started writing this blog post.

Apparently, my body decided it was time to pay off its sleep debt.

I can't blame it.

I'd driven more than 600 miles, spent hours at COSM, watched a movie, eaten, talked, laughed, and somehow managed to inhale a jalapeño.

It was quite a day.

The Hinge Experiment Is Making Memories

Airica and I both have some busy weekends coming up, so we'll have to work around our schedules.

That's part of getting to know someone. Life doesn't stop just because you're dating—family commitments, work, responsibilities, and everything else that comes with being an adult.

But I'm glad we made this trip happen.

I got to experience something new, watch a movie with someone who genuinely enjoyed it, see her excitement, share some laughs, and create a memory that neither of us had before Sunday.

And that's what I want to remember.

Not the lack of sleep.

Not the traffic.

Not even the jalapeño incident.

The memory.

A few weeks ago, I was wondering whether Hinge was worth keeping. My matches had dried up, and I was beginning to think the whole experiment had run its course.

Now I'm driving across Georgia with Airica to see Harry Potter in an enormous dome, buying souvenirs, texting to make sure we both get home safely, and looking forward to whatever comes next.

I don't know where this will lead, and I'm not going to pretend I do.

But I'm enjoying getting to know her.

I'm glad we went.

And I'm glad I have another story to share.

Just one thing for next time: more sleep, fewer jalapeños, and maybe a slightly more reasonable start time.

Steve the Iguana, if you're reading this, you may want to hold off on booking that retirement cruise.

The Hinge Experiment isn't finished yet.

Niel Flamm 10/13/26 Niel Flamm 10/13/26

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.

Niel Flamm 10/12/26 Niel Flamm 10/12/26

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.

Niel Flamm 10/10/26 Niel Flamm 10/10/26

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.

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!

Niel Flamm 10/9/26 Niel Flamm 10/9/26

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.