Number 79: Answer a Personal Ad

Completed 21 March 2014
The Elephant, Fortitude Valley, QLD Australia / OkCupid.com

So while the actual item to complete was "Answer a Personal Ad", I made two slight changes to this. First, made the call that online dating sites and mobile apps such as Tinder counted as personal ads since they are just the modern version of the classic ads in newspapers and second, it would only be completed once I actually met/had a date someone from one of these sites.    

So I had actually been on dating sites for a while, but more just lurked for a long time. Not really messaging or arranging to meet anyone. I tired a few different ones, all with the same result of me not really getting too into it. Something in my mentality changed when I joined Tinder the dating/hook-up app, whether it was a boost of confidence or just Tinder's more direct approach to forcing communication between mutual matches. 

But one bored Friday night at home with a few drinks and internet access, I started messaging a number of people that seemed interesting. One caught my attention more than most and it wasn't long until we exchanged numbers and by mid the following week had made the call that meeting might be a fun idea. 

The plans were simple, nothing with too much pressure, just a chilled drink or two at The Elephant, before the possibility of catching a movie or something. So after ducking off early from my work awards night that was set for the same Friday night, I headed around to the pub to meet her. 

We had a few drinks there before heading to my place where we just ended up talking until the early hours of the morning, I think it was around 3am. Although the fact I had a date didn't stop my workmates from sending many many texts, guess they just missed me since I'm normally always out late on awards nights. 

So overall I think it went well, although I have left the last section of the page blank since it talks about long term aspects and it's still early days, granted I have seen her again since. 

**Update** After dating for about 6 months, we decided to call it and just be friends. 

Mark 79 as done (except the last part)

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Number 102: Experience an Earthquake

Completed 26/29 December 2010
Port Vila, Efate, Vanuatu and Tanna, Vanuatu.

This was the first additional thing that I added to the existing list, making it 102 on the list. While it was something I always wanted to experience, I also knew that it would be very difficult to actually be in the right place at the right time. But it happened while on the same trip as "See an erupting volcano" over Christmas 2010 in Vanuatu. 

The major initial earthquake hit at about 12:16am on 26 December 2010, so as you might imagine my partner and I were asleep at the time and were woken by the movement. What did it feel like, it was surreal. Since I just woke up I thought I was still dreaming and it felt like I was walking on the deck of a stationary yacht at sea. 

We were not the only ones that were awoken either, a number of guests and management of the hotel we were staying at were awake. It was a bit of a worry since we were staying at a beach side resort and my scientific brain went straight to the thought of a following tsunami. Now that coupled with the lack of clear information we were getting, we decided to go for a drive around the island to higher ground... Blame a state of sleep deprived panic and the fact that it was a very low tide at the time which we found out several hours later.

The first aftershock was around midday that day and was much lower magnitude, but it was more enjoyable to be awake when it occurred and  the second major aftershock was several days later and was a bit stronger. We were also closer to the epicentre of the earthquake since we were on the island of Tanna instead of Efate.

So what did I get to experience?

Initial magnitude estimates were:
7.3, 6.2 and 6.6 respectively.
Revised magnitudes:
7.3, 6.0 and 6.4 respectively.

Mark 102 as done

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