Boy, Crazy.
There was a lull between the lower 48 states road trip and getting to Alaska and Hawaii. We planned this respite from travel for a few reasons: to replenish our funds via working (Megs literally went to work the morning after we returned, I followed suit five days later) and to hang out with our families for the holidays without too much stress for anyone involved (apparently, our families think we are neat and like having us around).
Which meant lots of time to text, talk and eventually video-chat with some of my dates from the road. Want to keep track of who stayed in touch and who didn’t with me? If not, stop reading this post. If so, read on!
Oregon: Short bursts of texts, one phone call, and a follow up email. Given both of our insanely busy schedules (he’s busy starting a business that gives whiskey tours abroad) and my propensity for overextending myself, we weren’t able to connect that often.
Montana: Despite inconsistent texting while I was on the road and deeply fond memories of meeting this boy, we only exchanged a few emails before he evaporated into the ether. To be fair, I’d bet he feels I was the one pulling a Houdini. Such is dating, no?
Wisconsin: I get occasionally questions from him about the trip and the progress of the film.
Tennessee: We tried to meet up while he was visiting family about an hour from my hometown, but weren’t able to make it work (darn holidays and obligations!). Nary a text or two later, we hadn’t been in touch since.
Kentucky: Just a few short texts.
Maine: Though we have what I consider a healthy social-media based friendship and I have a deep respect for his writing and thinking, that’s all to that story. He’s in a relationship now, too.*
DC: Dude, this guy is classy, top-of-the-line awesome. We had some fun gchats and a few text exchanges, and when I was going through the start of some serious medical brew-ha-ha (more on that later) he sent me chocolate chip cookie sandwiches with frosting and an ee cummings poem to cheer me up. #winner.
Virginia: Another guy who I wanted to devote more time and attention to but never felt able to. He blew my mind, changed my world, gave me an amazing cookie recipe, plus an incredible first date and yet we’ve only exchanged a handful of texts and two emails (both of which are waiting on my end for a response). Why does this happen?
North Carolina: Lots of phone calls, textversations, support, laughter and good times. We made each other laugh, and let each other be ourselves without question. And yes, we swapped photos of us doing things. Here’s me dating in Florida! Here’s him at a Scuba certification class!
South Carolina: Mostly we just say “Heyo!” about the goings-on of the project and each other’s lives. He’s been working on keeping a blog, which is fun to follow, too. And he even wrote a post about our date, which was a neat twist (being in the hot seat in a medium I am so attached to felt like I had a spotlight shining down on me).
Georgia: Textversations.
Louisiana: Textversations.
Dallas, Texas: Long rambling textversations, short usually unresponded to emails, and occasional phone calls.
Colorado: I have a two emails from this date that still are sitting in my inbox, waiting to be responded to. He sent me some of his writing and I’ve been meaning to sit down, look at it, and offer feedback and I haven’t made it happen. For shame, Alicia.**
Utah: Oh, Utah. Let’s just say there will be more to come from this story, including but not limited to a second date.
Hmm. This is sort of an interesting study in the areas in which dates seemed to have affected me. Curiouser and curiouser.
How have I juggled these correspondence? Not as well as I’d have liked.
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*As an informal poll, I looked at which other dates I’m friends with on social media who are now listed as in a relationship. South Dakota, West Virginia, Michigan, and Maine all hit the mark. I’m not connected with many more of the dates, and it warms my heart to see these guys who I know wanted someone special having found a partner in crime.
**Now that I’ve acknowledged this publicly I hope to actually get to this.
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