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.
More on that in the dedicated review.
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.
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 Parking Job So Bad It Needed Emergency Care
I was visiting my mother at Roper St. Francis in Mount Pleasant when I left for a few hours to attend a recovery meeting.
On my way out, I saw this car parked outside the Emergency Department.
Or at least I think it was parked. It appeared to have simply stopped wherever it lost interest in moving.
Now, because this was outside the Emergency Department, I kind of understand. Emergencies are emergencies. Sometimes you pull up, get someone inside, and worry about the car afterward.
I have my own story.
When my ex-wife was about to give birth to our son—our second child—she waited until nearly the last possible moment to announce that it was time to go to the hospital.
On the way there, I may have run a few red lights. I did honk as I approached them to warn people that a panicked father-to-be was coming through.
When we reached the Emergency Department, I jumped out, ran inside, and grabbed a wheelchair. My ex-wife was still sitting in the car. I got her into the wheelchair and rushed her inside.
Meanwhile, the car was still running, the keys were still in it, and the doors were wide open.
Was that proper parking etiquette?
Absolutely not.
But a baby was arriving, and my priorities were clear: mother, baby, and then the unattended getaway car sitting outside.
So yes, I can understand a bad parking job at an emergency room—at least temporarily.
But the car I saw at Roper St. Francis was on another level. It was sitting crooked across the blue-striped access aisle next to an accessible parking space, looking less like someone had parked it and more like it had been abandoned mid-thought.
Those striped areas are not bonus parking spaces. They provide the room people need to deploy wheelchair ramps, use mobility equipment, and safely enter or exit their vehicles.
When I returned from my recovery meeting, the car was gone.
Hopefully, whatever brought the driver to the Emergency Department turned out okay.
Or perhaps the car had simply been moved to another part of the parking lot—where it was parked just as horribly.
Either way, emergencies may explain a rushed arrival. They do not turn an access aisle into a parking space indefinitely.
Be safe. Be considerate. And once the emergency is under control, please go back and park the car between two actual lines.
Summit Coffee: A Relaxing Local Stop After Sullivan’s Island
After attending a recovery meeting on Sullivan’s Island, I wasn’t ready to head home. I wanted a locally owned coffee shop where I could write, use Wi-Fi, drink coffee, and have a small bite. Summit Coffee was nearby, open until 4 p.m., and checked all those boxes.
The parking lot is quite small, with one accessible space and perhaps four additional spots. Inside, I counted roughly eight tables and a long four-seat high-top overlooking Ben Sawyer Boulevard. Since I needed an outlet, the high-top was perfect. The air-conditioning was especially welcome on such a brutally hot and humid day.
The shop was clean, and the staff was friendly. This is what I remember a coffee shop being: a comfortable place to hang out, enjoy a drink, eat something small, and relax without trying to be everything to everyone.
I ordered a 16-ounce decaf Americano in a ceramic “stay” mug. It was good and served piping hot, so I let it cool while I worked. The self-service area had Stevia, Sugar in the Raw, stirrers, cup stoppers, and plastic utensils.
I also ordered a Nutella croissant. It was flaky and had just the right amount of Nutella—enough chocolate and hazelnut flavor without being overwhelming. There were a few other small food options. The closest thing to a sandwich was a bacon-and-cheddar biscuit. When I asked whether it contained egg, the answer was, “I imagine so.” Since I strongly dislike eggs—and because ingredient knowledge can matter for allergies and dietary restrictions—I would encourage the staff to become familiar with exactly what each item contains.
A slightly more substantial lunchtime option would also be a welcome addition. Overall, though, Summit Coffee is a super-cool neighborhood spot with good coffee, reliable Wi-Fi, friendly service, and a relaxed atmosphere. I would happily return.
This Was Not the Blog Post I Planned to Write
I had other things to write about.
I had just gone to see The End of Oak Street—vlog review coming soon—and then stopped at Boxcar Betty’s in MTP, where I discovered bacon jam.
I did not know I needed bacon jam in my life. Now I’m wondering how I survived this long without it. Was I even living, or was I merely existing in a tragically bacon-jam-free state?
After lunch, I wanted to go to the nearest Starbucks, sit down, and get some writing done before a recovery meeting. I had topics. I had thoughts. I may have even had a plan.
None of those topics involved the back of a Honda CR-V.
And yet, here we are.
This particular Starbucks is next to a National Tire & Battery. Because it is next to a tire shop, there are sometimes vehicles parked outside the service bays. It happens. Cars need tires. Tires need cars. The circle of automotive life continues.
The resulting passageway is narrow, but it works—as long as everybody participates in that increasingly experimental social practice known as courtesy.
Usually, drivers go around the vehicles near the service bays and move as far left as possible without sacrificing a wheel rim to the curb. It is not a perfect system, but civilization has survived on less.
Not this vehicle.
This vehicle appeared committed to occupying exactly enough of the available space to make passing somewhere between “deeply uncomfortable” and “please have your insurance information ready.”
There wasn’t much room between the building, the sidewalk, and the car. So I waited.
And waited.
At least ten minutes.
I did not honk. Remember, no horn. Read back if you don’t know that story.
I did consider flashing my high beams, but that seemed like the automotive equivalent of sending a strongly worded email while the recipient is sitting directly in front of you.
Eventually, the car moved forward.
Victory?
Not exactly.
It moved just enough to acknowledge that movement was technically possible, while still declining to leave what experts call “a reasonable amount of space.”
As I finally worked my way around, the people inside appeared to be waiting for the early-bird special to begin while conducting important business on a portable device. Perhaps they were negotiating a treaty. Perhaps they were solving the national debt. Perhaps they were watching a video explaining how driveways work.
I may never know.
Here is the semi-serious part: parking lots are small communities with bad signage. We all have somewhere to be. We are all distracted. We are all occasionally the person who doesn’t realize we are blocking someone else.
But when you are sitting in a narrow lane, and another car has been waiting behind you long enough to reconsider every decision that led them there, moving over a few feet is a lovely gesture.
It costs nothing. It requires no app. There is no subscription fee.
Just look around, notice the other humans, and share the pavement.
Anyway, I eventually made it to Starbucks. I had bacon jam in my recent past, a recovery meeting in my near future, and several completely different topics waiting to be written.
Instead, I wrote about this car.
Ugh.