Love in the Fast Lane

The following first person written article on a speed-dating event with Rapid Dating was published in the 2004 LA Dating Guide.

Love in the Fast Lane:
I Scored 15 Dates in One Night!

What is “speed dating?” Do you have to talk in fast-forward like a desperate coked-up salesman? No. Take your time. You have five whole minutes.

Well, hello, says my libido as a fine-looking redhead with blue eyes sits in front of me. A quick glance and I already know I’m going to check “Yes” on my matching sheet. I’m a guy and, generally speaking, we’ll say yes to any female we’re attracted to. Now I have 4 minutes and 58.5 seconds to decide if I like her at all. Hey, she’s fun and interesting. I’m enjoying our conversation. I’m hearing waves crash on the beach. Ding! The date is over. She’s getting up to leave. Wait! Don’t go.

As I watch my last date leave, I hear a beautiful, raspy voice and the little faint hairs on my ears perk up. I turn and feast my eyes on an angel with brown hair, olive skin and deep brown eyes. Yes, yes, yes. I’ve forgotten all about the last girl. Wow. Thump. Thump. What’s that? My heart. Ding! The date ends. We shake hands and I hesitate to let go. I say her name again in my mind to log it into memory.

Eeeeek!!! Shark attack! I glance at the Cyclops breathing fire through her braces from across my table and try to be cordial. Anything to pass the time and make the dullest five minutes not feel like eternity. Ding!

Another “yes” girl sits down before me. What a relief. I met 15 very different girls tonight. How cool is that? There were a few duds, but that didn’t take anything away from this wonderful experience. I’m lucky if I have one or two good five-minute conversations with a girl at a bar.

One word of advice when attending Rapid Dating: WATER. Drink it! Chase your beer or Cosmopolitan. Don’t dehydrate and lose your voice a minute into really connecting with someone. It makes for bad chemistry.

Rapid Dating is the first non-denominational rotational “speed dating” company open to singles of various faiths, backgrounds and age groups. “Where else can you go in this town for $35 bucks and meet that many singles in one night?” says Renee Piane, the President of Rapid Dating.

Eighty-five percent of the singles that attend Rapid Dating make at least one match from the event according to Piane. Piane, a very attractive, accomplished, business woman, sees her success in the glowing faces that have walked away from her events with smiles and connections. She says that four couples have actually walked down the isle and exchanged vows. Many couples are engaged too.

“You never know who you’re going to meet. You never know if it’s going to be for friendship, for business, for fun or for love,” says Piane.

Rapid Dating holds events around the Los Angeles area and now has events in Arizona, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Georgia and will soon mosey its way into Texas.
Check out www.RapidDatingUSA.com (link below)

Here are some of Renee’s helpful dating tips:
Don’t interrogate your date the first time out by asking about past relationships. You want your date to feel comfortable. Look great and feel sexy! Smile and have high energy.

Rapid Dating provides a free mint when you sign in. Use it out of respect for your dates if not for yourself.

Men:
Wear nice shoes. Women are trained to look at men’s shoes.
Pretty collars will get their attention. Be commanding and confident.
If you have a six-pack to conceal, wearing black is always good to shed a few pounds.
Compliment her.

Women:
Be more active. Say hello to him. Men are tired of rejection. Let them know you’re open to talking. Don’t be picky. You may need to look further and deeper to find your prince. He may not show up as a knight in shining armor.