BennyEast.Com/Blog The official blog of Kenny West

Severe Cat Allergy Alert Shirt

I feel like I should wear a shirt to any future dates or singles event that declares I have 4 cats.

To preface this blog post I want to say, as I sit typing this, I have one cat purring away on my bed nearby, and one cat on my lap.  There are two other cats roaming the house somewhere.

Tonight, I went to a wine tasting for singles event at Washington Crossing Vineyards.  It wasn't bad.  I had some fun.  Personally I would make a few small changes to the format if I were in charge.  I know, I'm being critical... But I feel as though it could have been run a little better... Although, what do you want for 10 bucks?  I had wine, and cheese (and crackers), and I got to mingle with two cool people.

What would I change?  Well, personally I would have come up with a system that forced people to introduce each other to one another.  Some kind of ice breaker questions at each table.  Maybe funny name tags.  Like have markers and craft supplies so that each person could create their own name interesting/funny/unique name tag.

Instead they just had tables.  No one knew each other, except for some people that had come with friends or coworkers or siblings or what have you as their wing peoples ... SO the ice breaking process was tough.

Then the guy simply came around with the wines and started pouring them and telling you what they were.  Which was fine.  I mean, it worked.  I just think if maybe first they waited for everyone to arrive, then gave out glasses.  Maybe have a game where we don't pick our own glasses... Maybe the glasses are on the table and we have to pick someone else to give a glass to.  Then we have to go get the glass and give it to that person and ask them their name and tell them our name and say one thing that we like, or a hobby or something.  Then that person is required to pick a glass for someone else...

I mean there are SOOOO many ways to ice break.  Just to hand out glasses when you check in and say "The event is out on the patio".  Then have a bunch of people standing around not knowing what's going on holding glasses not really talking to one another... It's just not ideal.

Anyways, I'm a social animal... My many years at summer camp, and working at the college... And playing open mics... as well as simply attending parties and social gatherings in general... Etc. etc. have kind of taught me how to just approach people.

I decided to sit with two girls that seemed like we might have more in common than the rest of the crowd.  I made a quick judgement and went with it.

Anyways we started chatting.  It was fun.  I learned that the one girl was there with a friend/coworker.   One of them was engaged and showed me her ring.  It was very nice.  She met her soon to be husband in middle school.  I said that's cheating on the dating scene because she had never dated.  She just... Met him and they basically hit it off super young and that was it.  She's like I know... and she acknowledged that she got lucky.  I said hey.. Congrats.  that's awesome.  She said thank you.

The other girl and I chatted... Since she's the single one.  We actually found out that we both went to the same college.  IUP connection.  So that was cool.  So we wine tasted... Myself, the engaged friend, and her... in addition to the tasting we chatted.  There were cheese squares available and crackers.

As the sun had set, they moved us inside.  However, there was a band playing and it was quite loud.  So we left about 30 minutes prior to the event end.  The three of us went to a nearby tavern where we had some more drinks and ordered food.

After a little while more of chatting about our shared love of Buffy The Vampire Slayer, I finally mentioned my cats.  That's when she said that she's deathly allergic to cats and even allergy pills won't save her from certain doom.

It's one of this deal breaker things.  I just couldn't ever give up these cats.  There's just no way.  It would be too hard.  They were the most important thing to my mom... and they are a piece of her that I couldn't willingly let go of.  I know that one day the cats will eventually pass naturally because cats only live so long... But until that day comes.  I feel as though when it comes to dating... Cats will have to be part and parcel... that we're a package deal.

Well... soon after that the three of us decided to call it a night.  SO here I am.  I just had some peanut butter swirl with mini peanut butter cups ice cream and I'm about ready for bed.  All in all it was a nice night.  I wouldn't mind checking out other _______ for singles events to see how those are run. But... For now... I have no other singles events on my radar.  My next event is to head to the PIFA street fair tomorrow followed by the Chinese Lantern Festival.

Sunday I have no plans as of yet.  So who knows.  I may stay in and work on things around the house and try to record some music and such.  Or maybe something will pop up that I have no idea even exists at the moment.

That's the way of the world... The future has a way of bringing things into your life that you couldn't even dream ever existed until suddenly there they are.

Maybe Sunday just spend some of my day finding a website that makes custom shirts and get a "Severe Cat Allergy Alert" shirt made.

That way I can show up at any dating function with the shirt on...

"Warning... Before you date me... Just know that I own 4 cats!  You have been warned."

I don't have many deal breakers... but just like Madonna was all about keeping the baby in her one song... I'm keeping these cats.