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.
🎃 Day 120: Halloween, Neighbors, and Another Day of Silence from Nextdoor
Halloween could be an AWESOME opportunity for Nextdoor to bring neighbors together. Think about it!
🍬 Kids smiling from ear to ear as they collect candy.
🍫 Adults secretly stealing candy from their own kids.
🏡 Neighbors hosting Halloween parties and welcoming people into their homes.
👻 Communities coming together for a holiday that so many people love.
That's what a neighborhood platform should do: connect people, build relationships, and bring communities together.
But let's check in on Nextdoor's leadership and communications.
📅 Nextdoor's last post: October 8.
📅 Nirav Tolia's last post: October 9.
If Nirav isn't talking about AI, is he talking about anything at all? 🤔
Meanwhile, NXDR is trading at $2.66 a share today. That's movement in the right direction, but it's still a far cry from the Citibank number Nextdoor previously referenced.
And here's the bigger question: What about the people whose data helps power the platform?
Nextdoor benefits from its users' activity, information, and contributions. Shouldn't those users have a voice in how the value generated from their data is shared?
📢 Have you signed the Nextdoor Neighbor Value-Sharing Petition?
If you believe neighbors deserve a share in the value created by their contributions, add your name today!
✍️ Sign the petition here: https://c.org/GkNWmffgg9
Let's keep the conversation going. A neighborhood platform should be about more than AI announcements and stock prices. It should be about the people who make the neighborhoods — and the platform — what they are.
🎃 Happy Halloween! Let's make it about neighbors again.
From Westbury Junior High to Top Host: Vote for Dexter Reid!
I think I’ve known Dexter since the 1980s. We definitely went to Westbury Junior High School together—now Westbury Middle School—so we go way back.
It’s exciting to see Dexter competing in the 2026 Top Host contest. He’s hoping to earn the chance to host a six-episode podcast produced by iHeartRadio, win $25,000, and appear as a guest on On Air with Ryan Seacrest. The competition also supports the Ryan Seacrest Foundation and its work bringing entertainment and creative outlets to children in hospitals.
If you’d like to support Dexter, please take a moment to visit his page and vote:
I’m cheering you on, Dexter! Please share this post and help spread the word.
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.
17 Days Until Bacon at Sea
Seventeen days until the Radiance of the Seas sets sail from Tampa—and then it’s four nights of cruising, with a day at sea, a stop in Cozumel, another day at sea, and back to Tampa.
Or maybe it’s really 16 days until I’m onboard, and 17 until the ship departs. Either way, the countdown is on!
This might be my ninth cruise, give or take, and I already know what I’m looking forward to: good coffee, people-watching, and relaxing on the balcony at night with the water rolling by or the sky overhead.
Oh, and bacon. Definitely bacon. Breakfast bacon, snack bacon, “I’m on vacation” bacon. I think you get the idea.
The internet and non-alcoholic beverage package are paid for, the balcony is booked, and I’m ready to go.