Swipe Right: Adventures in Dating at Windsor’s Shadowbox is Rip-Roaring Fun

Promo photo: Adventures in Dating by Rob Tymec

Whether you’ve used dating sites like Lavalife, Plenty of Fish or currently perusing a dating app called Tinder, you’ll know that dating is not always smooth sailing at all. Adventures in Dating is a rip-roaring romantic comedy by Rob Tymec that takes dating to a whole new level of crazy, with only two actors (played brilliantly by Rob Tymec and Teagan Smallhorn) but portraying over 20 characters between them.

We caught the show on Saturday night (May 11) at Windsor’s Shadowbox Theatre.

There will always be winners and losers, and sadly Jeff is on a pretty consistent losing streak going on first dates with women who might have been left too long on the crazy train. His choice of restaurant remains the same each time, and so when each date goes badly, he can still frequent other restaurants without the bad memories attached. What an optimist! While dealing with dates ranging from a chatty cathy and OCD’er to an aggressive feminist who literally knocks him off his feet, Jeff still musters the strength to get through these dates and plot away to find his next one.

Jeff’s salvation throughout these dates is often his waitress hero, Jen. She comes to his rescue a handful of times with words of encouragement and slivers of wisdom.  Their bond begins to deepen with each date under his belt. She brings to the table a whole new perspective, as well as a red table cloth. However, she’s also mending a broken heart and jumps on the bandwagon of serial dating. Tables are turned (rather switched to blue this time), as she reminisces about her “first” date experiences.  Her luck is just as bad as Jeff’s dealing with a gym rat hopped up on protein shakes to a sci-fi geek who is outraged at Jen’s comment of mistaking Star Trek with Dr. Who.

The characters are engaging, funny and down-right quirky. Rob and Teagan are so impressive transitioning from one character to the next. The chemistry together on-stage is wonderful and unless you have been blessed with only amazing dating experiences, the play is quite relatable. It personally felt at times that I was reliving my past dating life.

You can catch Adventures in Dating at the Shadowbox Theatre here in Windsor, ON.

💜You can also check out my review at 519 Magazine: 

https://519magazine.com/swipe-right-adventures-in-dating-at-windsors-shadowbox-is-rip-roaring-fun/

Mix 96.7 - Valentine's Day disastrous date entry WINNER!

I was called by Mix 96.7 saying that my "Valentine's Day disastrous date" entry was chosen as the BIG grand prize winner!  I have had SO many crazy adventures in dating that I could write a book, but some of my worst ones have been on holidays, like Valentine's Day. There was one in particular that really stood out, so I thought it would be cathartic to write my experience and lo and behold, they loved it. :) 

Here are my prizes!

7 Year Anniversary

7 years ago, serendipity took place. Meeting Bill has been the most exciting and wonderful adventure and I am glad that we took the chance to let our hearts fall in love again.

Together, we are like peanut butter and jam, peas and carrots, and even mashed potatoes and gravy! Thank you for being such an amazing partner and welcoming me into your family.

I hope that we can continue our beautiful journey together for many years to come.

Jai Ho babe. I love you!

Happy 7 year anniversary!

Swarovski is one of my favourite jewelry stores and I often admire  all the shiny items. We picked this out together while shopping at Devonshire Mall. It is part of the new collection. It's quite pretty, isn't it? Oh and purple, my favourite colour. Sparkly, purple and given to me with love.

Attempts at selfies with my new phone. Bare with me. lol

Dating: You Said I Wasn't Your Kind, Only Here For The Ride

I recently met a man who told me that “the worst punishment anyone can be faced with in life is loneliness. We need air to breathe, food to keep our bodies working, and companionship to feel alive. He believed that “no man (or woman) is an island.” He didn’t mention anything about sex, which was very surprising, as it is human nature to have those needs, but I allowed him to continue.

“Sex is important in a relationship,” he blatantly told me. “To be intimate, to make love with another is a wonderful feeling, so don’t get me wrong there, but it’s not everything.” When he said “it’s not everything” those words seemed to echo in my head. “Having someone to share some good conversation with over a cup of coffee and to explore all the beauty that life has to offer together, holds more value in the end, my dear lady.”

I thought about all the people who have faced terrible illnesses and how amazing it was that their partner’s still stuck by their side. I’ve read stories of others who couldn’t participate any longer in sexual relations because of trauma and/or medical reasons, not only females, but males too. They wondered when their partner would leave or even have an affair due to that gap in the relationship. It’s often embarrassing and makes you feel like a solitary existence is easier on your heart.
I had hoped that someday there would be a dating service that offered companionship on a level that took out the physical component. You could hold hands or cuddle, but the rest was never really brought into the equation. It was almost like an unwritten rule that wasn’t discussed, sort of the way it’s known to stay away from topics like politics, sex, and religion on a first date.

Needless to say, a friend on Facebook posted a link to this site called Romance Only (formerly 2date4Love.com) The founder, Laura B. was diagnosed with Stage IV cervical cancer and after treatments found that her body no longer responded the same way as it did before, which made it a challenge to date. The site is geared towards people who are looking for love that doesn’t focus on the physical. It is about finding a compatible partner who respects and understands your decision that intimacy can be much more than what it initially is portrayed in the media and in society.

My only hope is that people will genuinely sign up and the fakes who prey on the vulnerable will just continue to browse the other dating sites and leave this one alone.

After reading more on the site, it appears to be a great resource for connecting with others who truly feel the way you do.

It really doesn’t matter what your story is. Everyone deserves to have someone special in their life to come home to and ask “hi honey, how was your day?” and to feel a warm embrace without the expectation that something else has to follow.

There are billions of people in the world, but finding that connection is far from easy. As my gentleman friend told me “you kiss a lot of frogs to get to your prince and the one who stays through the worst times is worth keeping around for the better times ahead.”

Dating: 7 Months

It's an exciting time, we're now reaching 7 months of dating. 

From one of my favourite movies; Adventures in Babysitting!

Then He Kissed Me

First Date Advice

~ Patti Stanger, Millionaire Matchmaker

Dating is tough especially as you get older and realize that you may not be the catch you were in your youth! I’ve read a lot of dating books over time and some advice has been really helpful in general and in my personal life, while other tips have gone in one ear and out the other. 

There’s no magical formula to making sure you don’t get your heart broken, but what I’ve learned is that the idea of dating doesn’t have to be as nail-biting as one may think. It can actually be a lot of fun, even if there is no chance for a second encounter, you just have to be in the right mind-set. So I’ve created some guidelines that I feel are essential for a good dating experience and can be beneficial for anyone, at any stage of life.

Rule Number 1
Wear some sexy underwear.  If there’s some sparks, you might get a chance to show them off later. I tell you, even if there is no attraction to your date whatsoever, you’ll still feel good and smiling on the inside!

Rule Number 2
When out on a date, make sure you smell good! If the person you are sitting across or next to smells like week old socks or an ashtray, this is a turn off. I know I'm out of there before the waiter can say "May I take your order?|

Rule Number 3
If you’re going to be late, CALL! The worst thing you can do is show up late without a valid excuse. It’s a terrible first impression. 

Rule Number 4

Be your authentic self. No one likes an imposter and eventually you'll be found out.  

Rule Number 5
Don't play games. If you hit it off, you will be seeing each other again relatively quickly. There is no reason why you wouldn’t. . I don’t care how busy your schedules are, if you want to see someone again, you’ll find a way, even if that means a 5 am breakfast.

There is only room for one chance, well, okay, maybe two, but still don’t waste your time and energy on someone who can’t be bothered to go that extra mile for you at the beginning. It’s a wake-up call of what your future will be like.

As the saying goes, there are plenty of fish in the sea, you just have to be careful on what you catch or what tries to catch you.