Thursday, February 16, 2006
Messed up Inner Game:
I've been on the last two days and have made a few half-assed attempts at sarging. I can attribute my lack of success to messed up inner game. There is no other explanation. I went out on Valentine's Day to Alumni Club in Schaumburg. In the past, this place has felt like I was playing with home field advantage. I guess part of the reason I didn't feel that way on Tuesday was that I hadn't been there since before New Year's. The cool Russian (well, I found out Tuesday that she's from Ukraine) shot girl is still there. I didn't get to use her as social proof because I didn't see her until it was almost closing time. I also felt like a chump b/c I actually bought a shot off of her. She had only one shot left on her tray and she was pushing it hardcore on me, as usual. I then asked how much they were, and when I found out it was only $2 a shot, I finally decided to relent and buy a drink.
Alumni Club Sets:
I know I was weak when I can only report that I gamed one set. I saw two girls wearing their coats near the dance floor so I busted on them. I said, "It's not that cold in here. You do realize there's a coat check here, don't you?" This HB6.5 Latina responded that they were getting ready to leave. I tried the Magnus Valentine opener of asking her if she got my card. She actually played along a little bit. Then, I tried to vibe with her friend since it was a two set. The friend was from Poland. When I asked her what part of Poland she came from, she gave me attitude. My ex told me today that the girl was probably embarrassed that she was from one of the poor areas. Me ex says she's talk to a lot of Polish girls that are like this.
I talked to a few guys, of course, as that's easy. I saw a three-set near the Golden Tee machine that I should have opened. I just didn't feel like I had the energy to open a large set. I also saw some girl playing with her phone. I made the usual comment, "Did he call yet?" I remembered that she giggled, but then I just ejected. I later saw the phone girl with a friend. I thought about opening them, but I didn't, and later I saw some black dude talking to them. He seemed to be doing pretty well, so maybe that could have been me if I hadn't been so messed up.
Poetry Reading:
My friend Pablo had a poetry reading at this bar in Chicago. In retrospect, I should have used the massive social proof I had from being there with him (he was the feature performer). I guess I'll do that at his next reading. Here, too, I was weak. I saw these two girls that I could have opened, but never did. Instead, I opened up this lone wolf that was next to them. I picked a bad time to opener: the band was playing during a break, and it was hard for her to hear me. I asked her what brought her to the poetry reading, and she said she runs some Latino newspaper and showed me the paper. I then felt like I had bombed out and I ejected. Later, I found out that her boyfriend had died recently and there was an article about him in her paper. (I found that out b/c I believe she was the same girl I saw go up to Pablo at the end of his reading. I heard her talking about her paper and the boyfriend.)
Analysis:
In some ways, I feel like I'm almost back at square one. I think it's just because I'm out of practice and my inner game isn't at a high point right now. When I went up to the woman at the poetry reading, I felt strong anxiety. I also knew I was doing a poor job of sarging her, but it was the best I could muster under the circumstances. I can't be too hard on myself, though. I knew I was being weak at the poetry reading, but I still forced myself to make an approach as I knew that was the only way I could start to get myself out of this.
I think if I go out and force myself to sarge more. I think with a little more practice, I'll be back in action. When I'm being weak, I really know that I could do better. I remember when I've opened sets and held them. I remember how I went out solo two nights in Maui, 4000+ miles from home, and was able to create a small social circle in my two outings. I remember weak I used to be before Ajay's party, and I know I've made big steps. I just have to force myself out of this rut and I think I'll get to the next level.
I've been on the last two days and have made a few half-assed attempts at sarging. I can attribute my lack of success to messed up inner game. There is no other explanation. I went out on Valentine's Day to Alumni Club in Schaumburg. In the past, this place has felt like I was playing with home field advantage. I guess part of the reason I didn't feel that way on Tuesday was that I hadn't been there since before New Year's. The cool Russian (well, I found out Tuesday that she's from Ukraine) shot girl is still there. I didn't get to use her as social proof because I didn't see her until it was almost closing time. I also felt like a chump b/c I actually bought a shot off of her. She had only one shot left on her tray and she was pushing it hardcore on me, as usual. I then asked how much they were, and when I found out it was only $2 a shot, I finally decided to relent and buy a drink.
Alumni Club Sets:
I know I was weak when I can only report that I gamed one set. I saw two girls wearing their coats near the dance floor so I busted on them. I said, "It's not that cold in here. You do realize there's a coat check here, don't you?" This HB6.5 Latina responded that they were getting ready to leave. I tried the Magnus Valentine opener of asking her if she got my card. She actually played along a little bit. Then, I tried to vibe with her friend since it was a two set. The friend was from Poland. When I asked her what part of Poland she came from, she gave me attitude. My ex told me today that the girl was probably embarrassed that she was from one of the poor areas. Me ex says she's talk to a lot of Polish girls that are like this.
I talked to a few guys, of course, as that's easy. I saw a three-set near the Golden Tee machine that I should have opened. I just didn't feel like I had the energy to open a large set. I also saw some girl playing with her phone. I made the usual comment, "Did he call yet?" I remembered that she giggled, but then I just ejected. I later saw the phone girl with a friend. I thought about opening them, but I didn't, and later I saw some black dude talking to them. He seemed to be doing pretty well, so maybe that could have been me if I hadn't been so messed up.
Poetry Reading:
My friend Pablo had a poetry reading at this bar in Chicago. In retrospect, I should have used the massive social proof I had from being there with him (he was the feature performer). I guess I'll do that at his next reading. Here, too, I was weak. I saw these two girls that I could have opened, but never did. Instead, I opened up this lone wolf that was next to them. I picked a bad time to opener: the band was playing during a break, and it was hard for her to hear me. I asked her what brought her to the poetry reading, and she said she runs some Latino newspaper and showed me the paper. I then felt like I had bombed out and I ejected. Later, I found out that her boyfriend had died recently and there was an article about him in her paper. (I found that out b/c I believe she was the same girl I saw go up to Pablo at the end of his reading. I heard her talking about her paper and the boyfriend.)
Analysis:
In some ways, I feel like I'm almost back at square one. I think it's just because I'm out of practice and my inner game isn't at a high point right now. When I went up to the woman at the poetry reading, I felt strong anxiety. I also knew I was doing a poor job of sarging her, but it was the best I could muster under the circumstances. I can't be too hard on myself, though. I knew I was being weak at the poetry reading, but I still forced myself to make an approach as I knew that was the only way I could start to get myself out of this.
I think if I go out and force myself to sarge more. I think with a little more practice, I'll be back in action. When I'm being weak, I really know that I could do better. I remember when I've opened sets and held them. I remember how I went out solo two nights in Maui, 4000+ miles from home, and was able to create a small social circle in my two outings. I remember weak I used to be before Ajay's party, and I know I've made big steps. I just have to force myself out of this rut and I think I'll get to the next level.
