[I Dated Myself For A Week]

My name's Eli and I'm single.

I'm like super single, I'm like drinking merlot, watching Parks and Rec on a Saturday night single, that's like how single I am.

I don't really go out alone by myself.

I mean, I think it's just really awkward.

I'm hoping throughout this week, I just learn to be more comfortable with myself and to be more comfortable being alone.

So we're gonna have to do a dinner by ourselves, go to the movies, and $50 to do a date activity.

This is the only time I'm unhappy that I'm having this much money for dinner.

[The Dinner]

I've only went out to eat by myself once.

I went to a restaurant.

I lasted all of like ten minutes.

I got the menu, I felt like everyone was staring at me, I had all this anxiety, and I just got the hell out of there.

So I'm hoping I can beat that anxiety this week.

Well, it is the date portion where I eat dinner by myself.

I love Benihana so I wanted to go there.

Currently alone, sitting by myself, doing blogs as an excuse to not look like a creepy idiot.

The wait staff's reactions were similar to me like buying condoms at a store, it's like,

"Oh, oh yeah, yeah, no whatever, whatever, just hide it, we'll just, here you go."

There was a family there, you know, naturally we started talking and got to know them.

- [Man] No head butts.

You know, it really forces you to socialize, kinda face those insecurities head on, which is kinda cool.

[The Movie]

I'm late to the movie. I'm late to the movie.

I was like a half hour late to the movie so I pretty much bailed on myself.

This is why I'm single.

So now I am having a drink until the next showing.

Needing one seat, I could pretty much sit wherever I want.

While they're ringing me up, I had all these couples in the other lines like struggling to find like good seats at the same movie.

I lasted half hour by myself.

I think I'm doing pretty good.

- [Man] Hello hello hello, how's everybody doing today?

Woo.

(I) ended up going into the movie theater and my seat was seat 20 and there was a girl sitting at 21,

and I assumed someone was gonna meet her, probably get popcorn for her or something.

The movie starts and she's by herself and I was like, I have to talk to this girl afterwards.

So I didn't sit next to you because I assumed someone was coming to sit next to you.

No one was coming.

I think it's important to take time for yourself and be with your own self and be confident in going out by yourself.

True, I need that cuz I feel like insecure or I feel like there's yeah, the world, the world sets it up,

- so if you're alone, you look sad or something. - Yeah, I find that stupid.

This is really strange, I thought you were, you may like,

- hit me with your purse or run away by me asking. - No, people are afraid of like actual interaction with other people.

Changing the world. - Yep.

Don't use your cell phones.

I think the fact that I went on a date alone and then I met someone is a success in itself.

I'm noticing being alone, I'm not worried about having to cater to somebody else.

Like I can just kinda let my guard down and kinda like almost recharge in a way and I don't have to constantly worry about the other person.

So it's date number three and I've had a hard time trying to figure out what I like to do for a date.

So I think I'm gonna do something a little more chill.

I decided to do a picnic in my backyard with just me.

So I bought some wine and I got chicken wings, mac and cheese, balled out.

Yes, yes, this is a beautiful thing.

I'm a simple guy, all I want is mac and cheese.

And I didn't have a blanket, so I had an inflatable mattress and I just threw it in my backyard.

As far as the third date goes, I don't think I've ever done anything like that with myself.

Might be the wine talking, but I don't know, I really needed this.

It's really therapeutic, it's almost like kinda like meditation.

Out of all the dates, I think that was probably the best one.

A, because I love chicken wings and two, I was kinda really able just to be in my own head.

[So... How Did It Go?]

My week was great.

I feel like when I go to these things, when you're with someone, you're just kinda catering to that person and giving your energy to them.

It was almost like a meditation just to kinda cater to me.

When you're alone, you're willing to give your energy within yourself and kinda be open to the world around you.

This gave me confidence to be by myself.

If you resent the idea of going out alone, hey, I get it, but all you really need is like a glass of wine and a nice book.

And you only look smart and you only look that much sexier.