#NerdsUnite: My name is Alicia and I’m doing 50 dates in 50 states (Washington Date 1)

<editorsnote> Nerds, meet my buddy Alicia. She’s about to embark on a 50 dates in 50 states dating documentary. She’s here today to talk about her views on life, love, and all things through her nerdy little eyes. I only have one more thing left to say … HIT IT ALICIA!! </editorsnote>

#TalkNerdyToMeLover’s Alicia Ostarello

Fine, I admit it. I have a hard time making decisions between two exceptional choices. So with only one day in Seattle and two really nice potential dates from How About We, I couldn’t play “eenie-meenie-miney-moe” like I did when I was a child — I went out with both!

Up first, Nitin. Props to a guy who will wake up early for a first date — he agreed to go stand-up paddleboarding with me on Lake Washington at 10 AM.  Since you don’t really need a lesson to start SUP — you can simply rent the board and away you go — I figured the sport couldn’t be as challenging as say, riding a broomstick. I assumed a little wrong. Luckily, our rental purveyors gave a three-minute lesson on the grass, which meant at least we were able to learn the basics.

The basics: you will fall in. Oh, and start on your knees.

A few paddle suggestions later and we were off, wondering exactly how anyone managed to stand up. The man paddling ahead of me attempted a jump-to-stand maneuver. Bad. Decision. In he went. Concerned I would hit the lake after having known Nitin for a mere 10 minutes, I practiced paddling on my knees a bit more before getting the guts to stand — one foot at a time, at Nitin’s prodding.

Twenty minutes later we’d both hit the water. Twenty minutes after that we’d both hit the water again. Yeah, you will fall in for sure.

When we weren’t dog paddling about and trying to hoist ourselves up onto our boards again, Nitin shared with me that he underwent a change in his life this year: he started eating healthy and running. In addition to his body and endurance being made over, his priorities have, too. His efforts were recognized by his company — he’d just received a surprise award two days earlier at work. He was still reeling from the joyous aftermath: a slew of congratulatory emails, nice comments, and handshakes from coworkers.

It was interesting to be on a first date amidst this sort of experience. Nitin was, for maybe the first time ever, getting used to the idea of being someone worth looking up to. This made me wonder: What it’s like to date when you’re a different physical person in a new mental space and you’re still coming to terms with you?

Nitin was a catch, even if he wasn’t quite used to what that feels like yet.

#nerdsunite

Alicia Ostarello has combined her talents in talking to strangers with degrees in English and Sociology and is currently taking a road trip across the country with one goal in mind: to go on a first date in every single state. Follow her trip and the documentary film being produced about it, 50/50: A Dating Documentary on Facebook at facebook.com/5050ADatingDocumentary.