Last night I tried a challenge that I read about in the PU book, Magic Bullets.

The challenge is to give a friend a large sum of money and then you receive some of that money back for each approach you do. This, of course, helps reduce approach anxiety.

I gave a friend of mine $160 with the understanding that he would repay me in increments of $20. That meant I had to do 8 approaches or F-close to get all of my money back.

We took the train into Manhattan and for the whole train ride I was nervous about it. 8 approaches… it seemed like a lot to me.

I only had some whiskey when I was back home and I would not be drinking anything at the bars for the sole purpose of keeping my mind clear.

The first approach was probably the hardest and the worst. The bar was a sausage fest and spare women were rare. I talked to some HB 7.243 at the first bar we went to. She had a bunch of empty glasses around her and I jokingly asked her if she had done all that by herself. The interaction was not good- I wasn’t sure what to say. At one point I asked her what her friend thought of something I said and she said that’s my sister as if I had done something wrong. I said fuck it and collected my first $20.

Then we went across the street to another bar. We sat down with our drinks. My friend had a jack and coke and I had, of course, a water. I used an observational opener with the 2 set, an 8 & 6, next to me. There was a spinning werewolf mannequin and I said, “guys how awesome is this werewolf!?” I then made forced conversation. Not great.

$40.

As we were leaving I stopped and talked to a group of three women at a table. I pretended to ask them for advice on good bars in the area (the East Village), even though I knew the area like the back of my hand. We then went on to have a nice conversation with them. I even got to try the Best Friends test, which I read about in The Game and Magic Bullets. I had a lot of fun using it and they seemed to like it, though at first they thought it was bullshit. It amazed me how prepared I was from reading the Magic Bullets’ model. They admitted to me that they were like thirty years old after I said they must be, “what 23?” which flattered them. I think they enjoyed the compliment but I guess I could have used more negs. Anyway, we talked to them for 15 minutes and then they left.

$60.

We left the bar and went to a different bar that I had been to before. I opened up a 2 set (8 & 7.5) in the back near the band, which was on a break. I opened by asking them if the band was any good and if the place was good. We had a great conversation and the girls were so flirty. I got to use the best friend test again and it went over much better than before. Then I left for a moment to take a phone call while my friend stayed with them, on the way out I even found $10 on the ground. I came back and the 8’s BF was there with us. I played it off all cool and introduced myself, completely maintaining my equanimity. Then the 7.5 went to the bathroom and my other friend showed up and we excused ourselves to go meet him.

$80.

I could have gone back to the 8 and 7.5 but they were an uncertainty and I had more money to make back. We left and went to a new bar. This place was awesome, very loungy and we got some chairs and a couch to call our base. We also met a guy having his bday and we got free cake! Nearby there was a group of women, no guys were approaching them so I did. There was a 5, 6, 6, 7, 7. I opened to the 5 and 6 and after a while they said they were going to the dance floor and invited me. I said I had to go talk to my friends and I’d be out to see them in a minute.

$100.

I didn’t go to dance with the girls. I had more money to make back. I went with a friend to meet more girls. I opened a two set by introducing my friend with a line from How I Met Your Mother: “Hi, have youuuuuu met Dillon?” Then I got to talking to a 5, ugh. I wasn’t really in this one and I had begun getting tired from the previous approaches. However there was a good moment where she was like “you’re not doing too well with me” and without missing a beat I said smiling, “I love giving myself a challenge. I live for this.” I don’t know why but that calmed me down a lot. Still, I wasn’t gonna close and I didn’t want to.

$120.

We left and went to the final bar, another place I had been to before. I opened one set with some chubby girl and her attractive Asian friend. It was nothing special, just a way for me to earn my $140. The interaction was pretty fast and I had developed a headache at the previous bar so I wanted to go home.

$140.

One more left.

As I did with the previous 2 set, I approached another 2 set and opened with a Simple Pickup opener. “Hey you guys are absolutely adorable and I had to come meet you. I’m Red shakes hands.” It was Trisha (8) and Lisa (7.5). Trisha quickly introduced me to Lisa and she was druuuuunnkk. When I first met her she told me, “hold on I need to take a breath” and for the next 30 seconds she breathed in and out slowly. We started talking we actually had a lot in common. We were about to make out but I wanted to leave her wanting more so I told her I had to go see a friend in the other room for a moment and I’d be right back.

I quickly got a water and returned.

I came back and she was alone, my friends had kept her from talking to other guys. We started making out. Wow that was easy. I’ve kissed plenty of women but I’ve been drunk when I did it. Either she was a clumsy kisser or I had just grown bad (I used to be good), maybe a little of both, but it just didn’t feel fluid. She told me my hands were cold and started rubbing them and putting them up to her mouth. I thought she was actually going to start sucking on my fingers. “This is pretty cool,” I thought.

But then it all went down hill. We kissed a few more times and I felt like it was bad and started to wonder if she thought it was bad too. This started ruining my confidence, which, up to that point had been pretty decent. I started to feel like a creep and I was getting more and more nervous. I wondered if her friends were judging me. I should have been able to manage my confidence but it started falling apart. I wanted to leave. And I did- I kissed her a few more times, got her number and left with one of my friends while the other stayed behind.

And then the realization and regret started to set in. My friend told me she was so clearly DTF and he was right. Whatever bad confidence I started to develop, if I had just stayed with her I would have gotten to add a notch to my belt. But I didn’t. I got a bad make out with a hot girl but it felt empty. I could have gotten much more. Even now as I write this I’m pissed off at myself.

I should have gone back but I worried it would be awkward. Five minutes passed and I just texted her:

This is a VIP #, store with care. -Red

She hasn’t responded. Maybe I’ll text her soon. It’ll at least be good practice for my texting game.

Still, I should have f-closed.

$160.

Critique

What I did right:

I maintained a lot of the principles I’ve been reading about: strong eye contact, not leaning in to speak to somebody (which is awesome), false time constraints, kino (which I’m still improving), and keeping a confident posture.

I got to use the best friends test!

And of course I completed all 8/8 approaches.

What I did wrong:

I should have tried to go past just the approach. When I’m drinking, I have no problem asking for numbers. But when I’m sober it feels like the chance of rejection is much more serious. I needed to, at the very least, #-close more.

I viewed last night only as an opportunity to sarge. And that’s it. I never looked at it as going past approaching. I don’t know why but I was just in that faulty mindset.

I think I was also worried that if I spent all my time with one group or girl, I wouldn’t have time to make the rest of my money back.

I could have done better, and I plan to in the future.

Thanks for reading!!