Cross Country Speed Dating

"I'm going to go on 30 dates," I said.

"Wow, that's a lot," my friend Joe replied.

"In 30 different cities around the country -- on a road trip," I added.

Silence.

"In 30 consecutive days..."

"You're crazy!" Joe yelled.

"Yeah, I know," I sighed.

Was it an exceptional idea? I'm not sure exceptional is the word I would use -- possibly unexpected, or perhaps unique. It was definitely daring, and will prove to be exhaustively thrilling, but what's really behind Cross Country Speed Dating?

It's true. I am the type of person who would travel half way around the world for a unique experience, but traveling all the way from coast to coast searching for a soul mate is much more than just a special experience. It has the ability to be a life-changing commitment.

"All the dates are going to be blind dates," I said with a soft, almost guilty tone.

"What? Say that again." By this time in the conversation Joe was having problems processing my logic.

"I will have no idea of the age, physical appearance, or demeanor of any of my dates until they show up on the day of."

Silence. Again.

The mostly 21st century concept of "speed dating" received a popularized boost when it appeared as the central story line in a third-season episode of Sex and the City. In speed dating, singles become a number, rotating through all possible mates hoping for that spark of initial interest, or alternatively, killing time until the gorgeous guy down the line gets his eight minutes in front of you. Critics argue that you can't possibly get to know a person adequately in such a short period of time, reducing the act to nothing more than a drawn-out runway show with looks as the sole determiner. If eight minutes isn't enough time to get to know someone, will 12 hours be better?

"I'm going to give each date 12 hours to come up with anything he'd like to do, with moderate restrictions of course." I was desperately trying to convince Joe my idea was sound.

"Twelve hours? Kevin! What if these people are complete boobs? Are you just going to run away?" Joe's skepticism was oozing with each question.

"I'm going to make the most of every date and every situation I find myself in. Is that naive?"

"Yes!" Joe replied.

Sex and the City heroine Carrie Bradshaw commented that no blind date should ever last more than eight minutes. I contend that not only will I be dating the gentleman gracious enough to invite me to his city, but I'll also be dating the city itself, and that may take a few hours. In my opinion, where a person lives makes up a large portion of what he chooses to do in his life. So whether or not my dates are local restaurants with their own unique flavor or hot air balloon rides overlooking natural and man-made splendor, the 12 hours will be spent with a man and his city, both attempting to woo as I woo them.

"I'm going to blog about the adventure each day." I was trying to tickle Joe's curiosity, while desperately trying not to sound like Amy Adams's character in Julie and Julia.

"Well, that should make it interesting," Joe replied.

"I would like to prove to the world that traditional dating isn't dead," I said with confidence.

"What's traditional about dating 30 people in 30 days?"

Now it was my turn to be silent.

Nothing about my adult life up to this point could be considered traditional. I make a living while traveling the world seeking out the next big adventure. I had to ask myself when developing this idea how serious I would be about finding a partner, since the experience would be steeped in travel enticements. My honest answer was that this is the time in my life, at 32, that I need to be thinking about starting my own family as my next great adventure. Will I be able to tell my children someday that I met their father while speed dating? It's possible!

"Well, I wish you the best of luck," Joe said with his punctuated honesty.

"I'm definitely going to need some luck," I replied. "A lot of caffeine, a healthy dose of patience, and a glass of wine couldn't hurt either."