5/10/19, Friday

Well, it's been worse, but it has certainly been far better. Went out to some bars near my apartment in Charlotte. The first place I went to (around 9:30pm) used to be a lively spot. I walked around. It was on the dead side for a Friday. A few couples sitting at tables, mostly dudes at the bar. I saw one 3-set of younger girls and I should have approached because they were standing around looking clueless.

I sat down at the bar and watched some of the basketball game. Whilst there a group of 3 older women sat next to me. I thought about chatting them up at least for practice. The rest of my time there, the few 2-4 sets that I saw always had 2+ guys attached. I did see one 3-set (all were pretty) where there was a guy with them just standing there like some kind of bodyguard.

I went to 3 bars. Definitely way more guys than girls (which is to be expected). Besides the first 3-set, there were 2 2-sets in my time out that I did not approach.

The lone bright spot. While I was sitting at the bar, a cute girl came up with her (big) friend to order a drink. I said hello and that she looked really nice tonight. She said thank you. I asked her what she was drinking. We talked for a little, but I didn't change the subject. She went off with her friend. On my way out of the bar, I saw her again. She saw me too. I said good night to her and she did to me. FML. That is the opportunity where I say something like, "I think I have to leave now because I'm bored. Unless you can tell me an interesting story." Or something like that. By the time I left that bar around 12, there was still plenty of standing room.

I'm a pretty quick-witted, funny guy with the people I know, but my brain.exe just fails to launch in these situations.

I need a complete paradigm shift in my head. One that discounts all the what ifs. What if she is married, boyfriend, lesbian? What if other people see me being a dweeb? Embarrassment, ego, pride. Etc Etc. The shift that says..."WHO CARES?!"

tl:dr I went out to a few bars. Told one girl she looked nice, but didn't follow up. Did not approach the 2 3-sets and 2 2-sets I saw. Walked around a lot. Approaching sets with 2+ guys already attached seems like a terrible idea, but maybe I should do it to verify?