A good night. Like, a really good night! I've had a mentally busy day. In work from 9am-4pm, straight out doing door knocking in the pissing rain and freezing cold from 4.30pm-6.30pm. Then straight to Anfield to sit in the freezing cold watching Liverpool pathetically whimper to a 1-0 win against a team that sounds like a bowel infection. And then straight out into town from there with the lads.

But I don't feel tired. I'm just buzzing. Calmly, gently buzzing.

We went to a pub called the Flute first. I didn't open female sets in there. But on one of the guys advice, I just made conversation with anyone around me. Even just shit stuff - asking some guys what the Juve score finished, asking others what bars were good to go to. That got me in a social mood, and it was great.

We went to a packed bar, and the four of us split up and wandered around on our own for a bit. As we did, I tried to move away from openers, and from the custard opener (sorry K! Its become a comfort zone, and I need to move away from that. But it served a grand purpose!)

I chatted with one or two girls briefly. Just opening asking how they were. One girl was with her friend, and had a massive 'Eighteen Today' badge on. So I went up to them ignoring the girl with the badge, and said to the other one 'Hey - is it your birthday today or something?' They laughed, it was fun. I still had a scarf on from the Liverpool game (not a Liverpool scarf - but a nice soft red and grey striped one). So many of the sets I opened said they liked it. I instantly took it off and said 'Ok, ok, you can wear it. But only for a minute.'


Then we went outside to the smoking area. I opened a two set. I isolated with one of them, not very attractive. But she was just really, really great fun to talk too. We talked for like half an hour and ended up exchanging our most embarrassing secrets. She was great. The conversation was so lively and energetic and fun. I number closed her, and would like to stay friends with her. I could feel her trying to ramp up kino, but I didn't want to kiss this girl. I didn't reciprocate. One of my wings kiss and number closed her mate. It was such good fun.

Back out of the bar into Bumper. Now like I say, I'd been trying to let go of openers. I don't like canned openers. In the last few weeks I've been using them as a prelude to a normal conversation. This won't do in the long run. I don't want to have to go through a procedure before I can talk to a girl. I want to just... Well, talk to them!

I spotted a two set sat on a sofa looking bored. So I walked up to them...

CO: Hey

HBs: Hiya.

CO: You guys ok?

HBs: Umm... Yeah, I guess.

CO: Its just you looked so bored, I wanted to come and cheer you up.

I plonked myself down next to them, and we chatted a little. Just so easy.

The whole night just felt so relaxed. We weren't four guys on a mission to meet women. We were four guys having a laugh, enjoying each other's company, and occasionally turning away to open any sets that we felt like opening. I absolutely loved how chilled out the whole thing was.

We didn't stay out late - I've got work tomorrow and need to be up at 7.30am (obvs that is less important than writing a field report before bed!). So we called it a night just before 1am.

As we left the bar, there were two girls outside. One of them had this weird multicoloured jumper on. I grinned as I walked past:

CO: Did you knit that yourself?

HB: No no, I bought it.

CO: You're lying to me! I can tell you knitted it yourself, its great.

HB: Giggles

CO: I'm gonna have to give you my email address so you can send me the pattern. I want one!

And I walked off - joking with one of the wings because we both went in to open the set at the same time. It was really great.

I was just so relaxed tonight. I was in the moment, I didn't retreat into my head at any point. And it was just natural. There was no game. After a while, there weren't even any of the openers which are still loyally filed away on my iPhone's cheat sheet. I just chatted to girls tonight. And that was really great.

I've got a hell of a long way to go. But things are just beginning to make sense for me. They're beginning to fall into place. Its such a fucking brilliant thing. It really is.

More soon, I'm sure...