The Hinge Experiment: What Have I Gotten Myself Into Now? 🧙‍♂️🌲🗽

I don't know what I did to myself. Seriously. I may come to regret this. 😂

When I started this Hinge experiment, I certainly didn't expect it to turn into road trips, Brazilian steakhouses, early-morning drives to Atlanta, Harry Potter adventures, and now... a Black Friday weekend trip to New York City.

But here we are!

It All Started With a Fraternity Brother

I've been sharing some of the time I've spent with Airica, and so far, we've had a great time together. We're exploring new places, making memories, laughing, eating entirely too much food, and seeing where this adventure takes us.

Enter one of my fraternity brothers. For this story, we'll call him Roach. That's his pledge name, among other names he's been called over the years. 🤣

Roach sent me a link to something he thought might be worth checking out:

🪄 Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience

If you're unfamiliar with it, go check out the website. It sounded like a pretty cool experience, and naturally, I mentioned it to Airica.

And guess what happened next?

We're Going to New York!

That's right. We're heading to New York City for Black Friday weekend!

Apparently, mentioning an interesting event to Airica is how I accidentally end up planning another adventure. I should probably be more careful about the links I open. 😂

Our plans are shaping up to include:

🌲 Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience — because apparently, we haven't had enough wizarding-world adventures after our trip to COSM Atlanta.

🎭 A matinee performance of The Nutcracker — a little holiday magic and culture to balance out all the Harry Potter excitement.

🍽️ Some awesome food — because let's be realistic. No trip with me is complete without figuring out where we're going to eat.

💎 A stop at a Pandora shop — because apparently, shopping is now part of the itinerary, too!

And that's how a simple link from Roach turned into a weekend in New York.

Visiting More of Airica's People

Another part of this adventure is visiting more of Airica's people.

That's a meaningful part of getting to know someone. You're not just sharing experiences with that person; you're gradually getting a glimpse into what matters to them, their places, people, and things.

I'm looking forward to the trip, the activities, the food, and making more memories together.

Of course, I also realize that traveling to New York over Black Friday weekend means dealing with holiday crowds, traffic, and the possibility that everyone else in the tri-state area has the same idea we do.

What could possibly go wrong?

I mean, I already drove more than 600 miles for Harry Potter on approximately two hours of sleep. Clearly, my decision-making process deserves further examination. 🤦‍♂️

Steve the Iguana Is Getting Nervous

For those following along with The Hinge Experiment, you may remember Steve the Iguana, my imaginary retirement plan for when I finally give up on dating.

Well, Steve might want to hold off on making any reservations.

Between the road trips, the food, the laughs, and now a Black Friday weekend in New York, this experiment is turning into quite an adventure.

I still don't know where this will lead. We're getting to know each other, enjoying our time together, and planning new experiences. That's enough for now.

But I do know one thing: I didn't expect Hinge to lead me to a Harry Potter forest, a Nutcracker matinee, and a trip to New York City.

Roach, if you're reading this, I'm blaming you. You sent the link!

And Airica? Start getting ready. We're going to New York!

Wish me luck. I have a feeling I'll need it. 😂

How Did the Date Go?

Remember the big news?

After weeks of The Hinge Experiment™, endless “Good mornings,” unanswered questions, Kelli being sent to the unmatched graveyard, and Steve the Iguana patiently waiting for his opportunity to become my wingman...

I HAD A DATE!

Well, potentially.

Sort of.

Maybe.

Okay, fine.

So, Niel... How Did the Date Go?

Great question. I would like to know.

Because...

She never responded.

Yep.

Welcome back to online dating, everybody!

Last time we checked in with “Missing Me,” things had taken an almost unbelievable turn.

I asked:

“Whatcha doing this weekend? Can I take you out?”

Eventually, she responded:

“That would be nice.”

Holy crap!

We did it!

Two people matched on a dating app and were potentially going to use the dating app for its alleged intended purpose:

GOING ON A DATE.

I asked about Saturday.

She couldn't do Saturday.

But then came the magical words:

“Sunday I could be.”

SUNDAY IT IS!

I suggested Tydz because it kept appearing in my algorithm. I'd never been there. I've barely explored Myrtle Beach or Surfside. It seemed like a fun place to grab something to eat and actually meet each other.

And then...

Nothing.

Houston, We Have Lost Contact

Saturday evening arrived.

Still nothing.

So I decided to eliminate another obstacle.

I sent her my real number.

Basically:

Here's my number. If you'd like to grab a bite, call or text me.

Easy.

No pressure.

No carrier pigeon.

No Morse Code.

No requirement to solve a CAPTCHA proving she could identify all the motorcycles in nine squares.

Just...

Call or text.

And then I waited.

Sunday morning came.

No response.

Sunday afternoon?

Nothing.

Sunday evening?

Still nothing.

At some point, Schrödinger's Date stopped being both alive and dead.

The cat was dead.

Wait... Weren't We Going Out?

This is the part of modern dating I genuinely don't understand.

She said:

“Sunday I could be.”

I responded:

“Ok, Sunday it is!”

That seems like progress!

Now, yes, we hadn't agreed on a time. She hadn't confirmed the restaurant. Technically, we didn't have a fully confirmed date.

But I wasn't exactly being subtle about my intentions.

Would you like to go out?

Yes.

Are you available?

Sunday.

How about this place?

...

Hello?

Anybody?

Bueller?

One Last Message

Yesterday morning, I sent one more message:

“I hope you are well. If you aren't, what can I do? When you are ready to meet, you have my number. Hope to hear from you.”

And that's where I'm leaving it.

She has my number.

She knows I wanted to meet her.

She knows I was willing to drive.

She knows I wanted to take her out.

There really isn't anything else for me to do.

I'm certainly not going to keep sending:

Good morning!

Good afternoon!

Good evening!

Good night!

At some point I'd stop being a potential date and become a talking grandfather clock.

Maybe Something Happened

I also want to be fair.

I don't know what happened.

Maybe something came up.

Maybe she got nervous.

Maybe she changed her mind.

Maybe life happened.

Maybe she's talking to someone else.

Maybe she opened Hinge, saw the message and thought, “I'll answer that later,” and then forgot.

So I'm not angry.

I'm not offended.

I'm mostly...

confused.

Because we're right back to the question I've been asking throughout this entire experiment:

How do people actually date anymore?

If you're not interested, that's okay.

If you've changed your mind, that's okay.

If you're not ready to meet, that's okay.

Just communicate.

Even:

“Hey, I've changed my mind.”

That's a complete sentence!

I'll survive.

The Hinge Experiment Continues... Somehow

So, for anyone eagerly awaiting the first official date report from The Hinge Experiment:

There isn't one.

No dinner.

No awkward first-date conversation.

No debating who pays the check.

No wondering whether there will be a second date.

No opportunity for me to completely overshare and tell her about this blog.

Nothing.

“Missing Me” lived up to the name.

She went missing.

And somewhere along the South Carolina coast, I can only imagine Steve the Iguana staring out toward the ocean, thinking:

“You should've called me from the beginning.”

You're right, Steve.

You're right.

The Hinge Experiment continues.

But the reptile plan is looking better every day.