So I've been going to this coffee house every Friday night for the past couple weeks for an music open mic (i play bass and i was tired of trying to find people on craigslist for music). The first week I was there I met a guitarist and we've been playing some of his original songs the past two open mics. I'm starting to get some major social proof in the place, and it's really great having everyone know me. It's also an automatic DHV to see me up playing some songs and having a good time.

Anyways, when I got there this evening, we were up to play right away. We play four songs, then I put my gear away. I then decide that it's high time to get some caffeine in me. I found that an easy way to strike up conversation with the baristas is to say that you want a recommendation of what to have. So I start BSing with the male barista and joking around, somehow we end up talking about lots of random crap - ADD, meth, steroids in baseball - just completely riffing off each other. This is making the female barista (a 6, if I'm being generous) laugh and smile and I'm feeling pretty good about myself. I then get my drink and make my rounds through the room and say hi to all the regulars, because I didn't get a chance to when I first came in. I find a seat and start chatting with my guitarist.

It's somewhere at this point when the mood in the place starts to shift, and it's pretty easy for anyone to pick up on this point. Well, this coffee house, being a hippy-ish sort of place, decides it would be good to have some dancing in the middle of an acoustic open mic. Belly dancing. That's sounds nice until you find out it's being done by an overweight middle aged woman who is very... aggressive. So this being a supportive environment, no one really says anything and people look around awkwardly. So I take this opportunity to talk to some people instead of also looking awkward.

I see over in the corner there's a table with a guy and a girl (HB 7.5), a table with three asian women (HB 6, 7, 8), and some other tables I don't really pay attention to. Not being afraid to open mixed sets is probably some of the best advice I've read here. Not leaving a set until you're completely blown out is the second best advice I've seen. My original intention was to "warm up" by talking to what I assumed to be a couple, then use that as social proof to game the asian table. So I open the mixed set by talking about the awkwardness of the dancing - situational opener seemed to work ok. I try to keep them engaged for a while - talk about some opinion type stuff, and make sure the conversation keeps going. Then I asked the ever-important "how do you know each other" question and it turns out they were just friends (the guy was a bit effeminate - note sure of his actual orientation though). So then we end up playing chess, a table is right in front of us. We are both awful at the game and end up talking a whole of smack talk and teasing each other. [Side note: does her referring to Bishops as "nipples" count as an IOI? Because I would certainly hope so.] The guy is trying to coach her and subtly giving me opportunities to flirt with her. I forgot about stuff like kino and actively searching for IOIs because I was having too much fun with this. I didn't even really notice when the other tables around me had left. Well the place had last call, and we called the match a draw (she would have won though). They are leaving so I get her number.

I stick around to help out with cleanup and everything. I get some water from the female barista, and then ask her number (abundance mentality, yeah?). She says she has a bf, so whatever, I'm not fazed by it. I made some comment to the effect of "I should have figured a cute girl like you would be taken". I help them get their gear put away, say goodbye and leave.

Thanks seddit for the advice and being awesome. Also, if anyone will be in the DFW area for the super bowl, let me know and we'll go sarging somewhere!