Dating in LA, electromagnetic pulses and escape fires.

     So I've been on a few dates in LA and I'm starting to get a feel for what's out there. In my lifetime, I think I've had every experience you can have on a first date, from home run to run home and it feels a lot like gambling. The currency is time and energy, something you have more of when you move to a new city because you're excited. I drive somewhere I've never been, meet someone I've never met, and no matter who is in front of me, tell them right away they look better in person than their pictures. Sometimes it's true, sometimes it's not. I do this because every time the person hears it they believe it, which, one, I find entertaining and two, it makes the next hour or so much more bearable. I have had a few dates with some absolutely fraudulent pictures and you can't get angry or disappointed, you just roll with it and try to make the person comfortable. You never know when you could meet a friend who has a friend... so be cool. 

    I obviously won't go into the censored dates, or how how many dates I've been on, or the outcomes, but I will share some embarrassing stories. I've been on a date where I couldn't stop buttoning and unbuttoning my shirt. I've been on a date where I forgot my wallet. One time I was clearly getting the cheek for a good night kiss and I angled for the lips, (stealing a kiss) and it was a disaster. DO NOT ATTEMPT! I think the worst date I ever been on was a double date where my date actually took a nap during the date. Don't ask me how it happened, it's a long story.

   If I talk on the phone with a girl and I hear something I like (mostly innuendoes) I try for the dinner at a decent place. I've broken this rule before and paid the price (literally) so I'm keeping things super chill unless my emotional brain overrides my prefrontal cortex and clues me into some subconscious information I took in without realizing. How the hell did I just say that? Link below.

     There was a study done by a some smart guy at a university who measured electromagnetic energy measured off subjects hands when they were playing cards. Players made decisions based on game rules and the study found the electro-magnetic pulses were showing increased activity BEFORE the rational brain (prefrontal cortex) made decisions. Which basically means, your emotional brain, is picking up clues before your rational one even realizes it.  http://www.hulu.com/watch/95417/foratv-science-jonah-lehrer-inside-my-mind. So I guess my point is, dating is 100% gut instinct. When the rational brain has too much to process, (her looks, the environment, things to say, do I have food in my teeth, do i smell good, gum etc....) it dulls the decision making process. Another study showed that when subjects were given 7 digits to memorize compared to 2 digits to memorize, people were more likely to choose eating chocolate cake over fruit salad. What does this mean? Well, I guess it's harder to stay disciplined with rational thought when our brain is being overloaded. Our CPU can only handle so much before it runs at less than optimal performance. So while your processing the massive amounts of information while meeting a new person, best to stay away from deciding based solely on appearances and if dating each other makes sense... instead go with the gut.

     A tragic but amazing story that I heard from the link above, is the story about a firefighter, Wag Dodge, who was in the Montana plains with his smoke jumper crew, fighting a prairie fire. They were parachuted in the middle of a fire and in the midst of coming up with a strategy, Wag realized the fire was coming their way really fast, and the only path to safety was toward the river. When they got close to the river, the winds shifted and the tall prairie grass caught fire blocking their route to the river and they were trapped inside the gulch. If you google the story, it is known as The Mann Gulch Fire. The fire at times was over 200 ft tall, and melting rock, which means it was burning over 2000 degrees fahrenheit. As expected, most of the crew started running back, which happened to be uphill. So since heat rises, the fire spreads even faster uphill, and about halfway up the hill Wag yells to his guys, "Stop." He knew the fire was spreading too fast, and it would only be a matter of time before the 30 mph flames would engulf his crew. Some did stop to look at what he was doing, but decided to "get the hell outta there." Obviously 200 ft flames would drive any man into flight mode, but Wag somehow had a moment of clarity during this extremely fearful experience and decided to take the matches out of his pocket and start a fire burning the brush around him. This is called an escape fire, and he invented it right there on the spot, in 1949. Fire can't burn what has already been burned, so he overrode his emotional fight or flight response, the strongest stimuli known to man, and connected with the rational thinking side of his brain (prefrontal cortex) and saved his life. The term "deliberate calm," is one used by commercial pilots to over come fear and fly planes during life-threatening scenarios, and it comes to mind when I read this story. 13 of Wag's crew were killed by the fire. Better in depth account is on the link here. http://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs_int/int_gtr299.pdf
     Dating is basically going to be electromagnetic pulses or escape fires. My escape fire is drinking. Instead of running away, being a jerk, or getting that "fake emergency text," I just start drinking. I rarely go on dates unless it's within walking distance to where I live anyways, so it works out perfect. My undesirable date will get the clue that she may have to start babysitting if she hangs around much longer. However, on one date, I got up to 4 drinks and was starting to get beer goggles, so my plan almost backfired.