The Perfect Date

When I wrote my post seeking a formal date I said a lot of things about myself. It was an advertisement for why any girl would be privileged to be mine for the weekend. In retrospect, what I failed to articulate was what I was looking for in a date.

Different people have different priorities when it comes to their criteria for a good date. For many, their top priority is simply sex--all they want in a date is someone who shares their desire for intimacy. I tend to believe quite the contrary; while hooking up with your date is a nice bonus, there are definitely other things to consider when making your selection.

For me, the number one criteria for a date is someone whose company you can truly enjoy for a weekend. There is nothing worse than being stuck in a room with a girl who hasn't the slightest interest in enjoying the experience together. A good date goes out of her way to ensure you are enjoying your own formal.

Behind companionship, the other trait that I hold above all else is affection. This affection needn't be in a sexual way, necessarily, but a certain display of caring is pivotal in being a successful date. Thoughtfully painting a cooler is undoubtedly one example of such affection, but that dwarfs in comparison to time spent walking down the beach together or dancing into the night.

My first formal will definitely be one that I will always remember. My date painted me perhaps the frattiest cooler on the beach. I chilled with my boys on the gulf by day, and partied the night away to follow. It's experiences like these that make you learn something about yourself; I know I did. So, until next year, here's goodbye to Panama City Beach, and it's already time to start looking for my next date.

The 100th Post

            It’s hard to believe that this is the 100^th post on Student Parking Only.  Last September when Mark and I were sitting in my kitchen plotting our next venture, we couldn’t have possibly imagined how far it would take us.  What began as a cute plot at revenge against The Postscript quickly became a phenomenon worthy of its own conversation.  As we racked up the page-views, as well as the comments, the hype for the blog continued to grow.

            It’s true that as we moved on to college there were some lapses in writing—posts were less frequent at times, and Mark has seemingly disappeared.  Still, SPO remains dear to my heart, and I hope it does for some of you too.  35,000 views and counting later, here are a few stats from the past year and a half on the blog:

Total Page-Views: 35,833

Comments: 144

5 Most-Viewed Posts:

1.  High School Menes (1064)—a post that called into question the line between humor and malice, this was easily one of our most controversial.

2.  That Time of Year (705)—when Mark asked Isabel to prom, we weren’t the only ones on the edge of our seats.

3.  Sophylis (532)—high school romance at its best.

4.  That Time of Year…Again (447)—my proposition didn’t go over quite as well as Mark’s.

5.  Sex is Sex (437)—the first month of college had me asking lots of questions.

Dollars Earned From Advertisements: $51.93

            Since Student Parking Only’s inception, Mark’s battled subjectivity, and I’ve battled my social incompetence; I’ve shared my favorite TV shows, and Mark’s shared his famous YouTube videos.  J-Hay and Q had their legendary rhetorical brawl, and Elinor defeated Pat in our inaugural story contest by ever so slim a margin.  I bashed my peers for hiding behind the mask of anonymity and preying on sophomore girls.  Mark published all the shit that I say, and asked his future girlfriend to prom.  I wrote half a dozen posts about how nostalgic I was to retire from baseball and leave home and go to college, and then a dozen more about my first year’s experiences.

            All in all, it’s been a long ride.  There have been some great posts, and admittedly a few that are quite lackluster.  Nevertheless, the blog has been the one thing in my life that’s remained constant since the beginning of senior year.  It’s amazing to think that when I write a post, my high school friends, my fraternity brothers, and my grandmother all read it.  So thanks to everyone for all the support.  All I can hope is that you keep reading as long as we have things to say.