Hi guys,

Not too sure what my password was for my last account, but whatever. I was out of 'training' for some time. Months and months. Something in the last week has got me wanting to do this again, so i've been going out again. My first step is to open, because that is the first step.

I've got two FRs. I've written them up as a kind of diary so i've copy-pasted them in. Nothing fantastic, but first steps. I would like constructive criticism if possible. Wall of text incoming.

[FR1-wed]

todays challange was to open A set. say hi or anything. just talk to someone. as i was walking down to my local, i made up my mind i would talk to someone as i walked through, before I drank anything. Got into line (didnt talk to anyone). Got to the front and had a chat with hb8 door lady. should really talk to her at some stage. got a free santa hat and free drink card too. Walked in and tried eyeing a set. was smiling being cheerful. walked up to a spot in the passage next to a chest-high wall, and looked around. just so happened to be next to some ladies... finally noticed her, but totally missed my chance. d'oh. walked a meter or two and casually chatted to some people at a table. 2B/1G. Chatted to one of the dudes with another hat and made jokes about the others not being stylish. nothing too much, then ejected. challenge complete!

Went off and hit the DF to look at people... yeah. found an old acquaintance and chatted for a bit. cool guy. with his bros. went off to grab a free beverage and then met another friend whom I haven't seen in at least a year, if not more. Kinda went downhill from here. chilled with them for a LONG period of time. Him, 2 cousins and eventually a male friend of one of the two female cousins. greeted them with their names and held a bit of a convo every now and then. chatted with my long lost friend about stuff. we danced a bit. talked. chilled. eventually water was where it was at and we moved to another bar. delicious. soon enough, back to the DF, only to wisp us both to the front and dance like old times. (ah, the good old days :P) danced around some HBs but made no real moves... other then the sweet moves I was already dancing to. eventually gave up and went back to find his people.

he said he would go and I decided to open another set. an easy two set at a small table with open chairs. easy. casually strolled there going to try a direct opener (you gals are dressed so cute - or something) only to be stopped by one of them; OMG I KNOW YOU! YOUR [NAME] ARNT YOU!? omfg. i dont know who this is. probab;y played it too beta nad asked her how she knew. wiped out her phone and showed me a FB pic and figured out how it was. a girl I had talked to many moons ago. a game girl infact. it didnt really go too well last time to tell the truth. anyway, chatted with her a little bit, but my friend came back and told me he was leaving. CHOICE! i moved my body to face him and chatted directly to him before he left. turned back after he left and explained he was an awesome guy who i hadn't seen in ages. tried to talk him up.

chatted more with old friend HB, probably paid too much attention to her and not enough to her friend HB6. chatted about how she remembers me (but non other the bad stuff apparently) and how i never called. (trust me, that isnt bad). I recalled that she was doing [JOB] and that [CERTAIN QUIRK ABOUT JOB] happened. again, probably coming off beta. chatted about nothing really. my brain could not think of anything. just casual chat. then i though about something i had talked about with friends, and a little something of what i had heard "you see the fight outside?". transitioned from that to 'you dont see people getting tasered these days like you used to'. yeah. totally riveting. eventually talking about what they were planning on doing after this place, i casually interjected that I had way better things to do. she guessed sleep. it was true. i made to leave, but she left to the bathroom. i /ASKED/ her friend if she wanted company until her friend came back, not that smart, but she said yes. again, i struggled to come up with anything but went for something someone had told me. a decent scenario; "my cousin met with and hooked up with this girl last week. do you think that when they meet again tomorrow/weekend/etc that it continues from where it left off, or it starts again?". she probably asked too many questions which i answered before her friend came back and i bid them adieu. hugged them both again and left. incidentally, i was told about that line the first time i met this girl. weird.

on the walk home, high-fived a girl and chatted to a bouncer about our hats. made casual jokes about viagra and some dude coming out looking to get lucky for new years.

then home. writing this. and then thinking about putting it somewhere. end.

[FR2-thur]

today, was at work all day. after going out and seeing HB7 last night, contemplated calling ALL day. had no idea what to say. listened to some stuff to try to understand and thought i'd try that. to make it more legit, i went to the beach so i could say i was doing awesome stuff. beach; called. got machine. I didn't really know what to say so it came off kinda dumb. something like; "hey [HB] its [MY NAME] [NICKNAME]. Seems you're out, home you're having fun. i know i am (slyly)"

I obviously dont call people very often. My talk is not that great. Something I need to work on.

that was it. swim time. got in and out several times. missed a HB8 watching over what seemed her BF (who looked mid thirties, but probably late twenties). walked up the beach and a group of younger kids. missed out on that too. another dip and came up to my stuff on the sand. spotted a HB6.5. this was my chance. came in with something like "oh, watching the sunset" so brilliant. i had nothing else. but open. thats why is was here. we chatted. i asked if i could sit and she said "i like watching the sun set in silence." 'challange accepted' I said aloud - which i would not follow. sat there for a bit. there was a guy standing directly in the sun. made banter about that. asked if she was a sun princess and if shed disappear when the sun went down. she giggled. had nothing. asked her to mind my stuff and went for another dip. came back. still nothing. man, i had nothing eventually she left. i stayed back, got a higher vantage point and watched the sun set. (also missed a younger two-set, and another two-set walk-exercising too).

If nothing else, seddit's given me the motivation to go out and just be outgoing. beach was nice. its summer over here btw. starting to talk to strangers isn't really hard... its holding a conversation that is my current sticking point. protips? or advice?

also, should I try my HB7 'friend' from the first FR, or just leave it? Got her phone and FB details. Was thinking about using Sin's call tactic wait one day, then two days, etc, making tomorrow the first day after freezeout...

So this is me. The hopeful new version of me. Not sure how I come off, but here I go. It's the summer of George.