I’ve decided to report all my encounters regardless of the outcome. We all make mistakes in the field, but oftentimes, we don’t recognize those mistakes. These unsuccessful FR are just as important, if not more so, than successful FR. They allows us to identify those mistakes and correct them.

This isn’t an usual FR. The idea is to explore how the outcome could have been different with a better use of game mechanics. As opposed to most FR, I focus on smaller exchanges, but I go in as much details as I can.

I’ve been taking some acting classes to improve my speaking voice and become more comfortable in group settings. There’s this cute girl in my class. She’s a definite HB9. She’s young (19yo), totally adorable, but also spoiled to the core. She’s pretty, she knows it and she uses it to control men.

I have no interest in closing her, but I still wanted to game her, because she’s pretty typical of what you would find in the field. Last night, we had class together. Here’s several exchanges we had all throughout the night.

I usually dress well, but for a character I’m playing, the outfit is pretty crappy:

Guy in my class: You look like...I’m not sure what you look like...

HB9 teasing me with a big smile: You look like a bum!

Me: I look like a bum? You’re a little bratty aren’t you? Are you always this bratty? (I’m poking her on the shoulder as I’m saying that)

HB9 with a big smile, giggling: Yea, I’m a little brat!

She didn’t try to deny it, she wasn’t defensive about it and she actually seemed happy that I noticed how much of a brat she was.

Now, this was a pretty simple exchange, but a very important one. I was trying to get her to validate herself to me. I was hoping, by calling her a brat, I’d make her want to validate herself to me by denying my accusations. I wasn’t successful at that. I was trying to be cocky-funny, but I don’t think that was the way to go. What could have I said instead that would have been cocky-funny? Her, agreeing me with, pretty much threw me off my game and I had nothing else to say after that exchange. What could have I said afterwards?

Here’s another exchange. We were watching a short-film. It was very confusing and pretty much noone really understood what was going on. She turned towards me after it ended.

HB9: Did you understand anything that was going on?

Me, turning my head very slowly towards her: Of course, I understood everything! (I hadn’t) You didn’t understand a thing, right?

HB9: No, you didn’t! That was really confusing!

Me: Boy are you in trouble! You’re young and you’re cute now, but what are you gonna do when you grow old and you’re not pretty anymore?

That’s a line I learned yesterday while reading about cocky-funny. The opportunity came up and I used it! Now, I don’t think the phrasing was as good as it could have been. It felt a little too judgemental, as opposed to cocky-funny. In any case, I think I gained a little respect from her after that, because it showed that I wasn’t intimidated by her looks and that I could actually see beyond that. I’d like some feedback on how or what I could have said to make it more cocky-funny and less judgemental.

Here’s yet another exchange. At one point, I saw her take a hard candy out of her purse. I turned towards her and poked her on the shoulder.

Me: Give me one of those!

HB9: I can’t! It’s my last one!

Me: Give me that one then!

HB9: Well, it’s my last one, but I think I have some gum in my purse.

She looks through her purse and hands me a pack of gum. I take the gum. After I hand her back her pack of gum, she tries to explain to me why she needed the candy.

HB9: If I don’t get some sugar in my blood, I’m gonna faint and my stomach is going to start eating itself!

Me: Problems with your genes?

I playfully slapped her on the shoulder. She slaps me back on the leg.

Now, that last line was terrible, but the delivery was playful. I didn’t know how to react when she was trying to justify herself to me.

I was trying to get her to do something for me, but I got mixed results. I didn’t care about the candy, but I wanted to test her response. How could have I played it differently? How to react when an HB tries to validate or justify herself to you? Do you agree with her, ignore it, or disagree with her?

Here’s another exchange. At one point, she was showing me pictures of her modeling on her iPhone. I did not compliment her on any pictures. Instead, I mentioned how much make-up she had to put on. In retrospect, I think it would have been better to say nothing at all. Agree or disagree?

Me: I took some photography classes. I can take some pretty good pictures! (I wasn’t trying to qualify myself to her, but I realize it may have seemed like that.)

HB9: Yea, I have a Canon 60D at home!

(Being an amateur photographer, I know how expensive those can be.)

Me: The latest iPhone, a camera...How can you afford all of that? You’re 19 and you don’t even work! Mom and dad?

HB9 giggling: Yeah!

Me: You’re such a spoiled little baby aren’t you?

HB9: Yea, I’m spoiled!

Again, she had no qualms about it. And again, I wanted to be playful, but it came out more judgemental than playful. What else could have I said instead?

At some point, she got up and took pictures of me with her iPhone.

Me: You think I’m hot, don’t you?

HB9: I’m gonna put those on Facebook! (She friend-requested me, but I did not accept it...yet. I’m waiting to see where I can get this.)

Me: Then you can write about how there’s this awesome guy in my acting class!

Here, I think I came out more cocky than playful or cocky-funny. But in this instance, I know what I should have said: ‘I’ll have to charge you if you wanna take anymore pictures of me!’

Here's the last exchange.

She asked me at one point why there were so many chairs on the stage.

Me: We're going to play musical chairs!

HB9 giggling and really playful: Yea!

Me: And afterwards, we'll go swing in the parc and drink some Kool-Aid!

Strangely enough, that was probably the most successful exchange of the night. She was really into it and it was done in a playful way. It wasn't cocky, but it was funny!

So there you have it. I know some of what I’ll have to work on. But I definitely need feedback on those exchanges.