preface to this tale... i found out on thursday my oneitis was getting married this weekend, so I made it a point to go out and sarge to keep my mind off it... saw some photos from the wedding and she went from HB9 to a UG4, so that helped as well...

Saturday night I meet a few friends at a local pub. I had been at a concert during the day, so I was still dressed as such (black shirt, white tie w/ the matrix knot introduced elsewhere in this forum, white/shoes and a white highlight in my hair, rings and bracelet.) I enter the pub, scout out my friends, and join them. I spy my sister's friend and head over to say a brief hello. Little do I know my she is there with a bachelorette party... She jumps out of her seat, throws her arms around my neck and shouts (more like shreiks!) "OMG! Marbles! You are my favorite person ever!" She introduces me around the bachelorette party with great flourish, and it had already drawn some attention from a few groups in the immediate vicinity. Did a quick cold read on the "bride-to-be" with draw a pig... and fluffed it to make it relate to her engagement and how it will be a great marriage. Got the rest of girls to go "ooh" and "aah." {Chick Crack... don't leave home without it!} At this point I tell them I was coming to meet some friends, and that I I'd see them later...

I find my friends and join their table to talk for a bit. One of my boys had moved that day, so he rolled out shortly after I got there. At this point I should have started to roam and open sets, as it was within 10 minutes of my great entry, but I got wrapped into conversation with my friends, who were all dressed very "normally" as opposed to my loud outfit... I decided to take a quick lap and open some sets. most went ok (i'm still a novice, so I've been just opening as practice)

here was the worst of the night...

I opened one group with "have you seen a guy about yea high in a grey shirt?" (this guy had been dragged out by the bouncers from right near them a few minutes prior) hb7: the bouncer just dragged him out!
me: ok. well, karma's a bitch... serves him right.
hb8: you know him? he was such a dick.
me: oh, i don't know him... he just took my parking space in the lot. (the pub is in a shopping center, so parking is sparse as the stores close and the bar opens)
hb8: but he just got thrown out of here.
me: maybe he was moving his car and planning on coming back in... all i know is he took my spot...
(figured it was a decent opener, but didn't know where to take it and just sort of fizzled out, conversation went on a few minutes, but negs didn't seem to work, and a group a table over actually leaned in and made a comment on how i was "peacocked" and the girls should beware because I was a PUA... stole my set even as they discussed all about the pick-up artist)

at that point my group had diminished to only 3 total, and one of the guys wanted to head over the karaoke bar, so me and the last guy left, and I gave him a ride home since karaoke boy was his rider there...

i felt fine with my openers, but I got called out on my peacocking and wasted a great social proof demonstration early on...

Hmm, I'm no expert but I don't think you DHV'd with your opener. In my opinion it made you look very beta and even DLV'd. Sure you can't control circumstances like that (getting your spot taken), but if you're going to use situational openers like that you should think them out a little more.

I would have come up with another story about the guy.

it wasnt dhv, it was peer-approval, and maybe pre-selection... anyways, i think you did a good job.

Well having your spot taken is a bummer.

If you have seen the wedding crashers, they actually cover this really well. "Draw attention to yourself, but not in a negative way." Watch that movie, it's classic.

I'd have gone with something a bit more light hearted.

Scent: "Have you seen a guy about yea high in a gray shirt?
hb7: the bouncer just dragged him out!
me: ok. well, karma's a bitch... serves him right.
hb8: you know him? he was such a dick.
Scent: He's a known terrorist. I was spying on him. I was gonna ask you to help me out *talking to the target* but your ears are too small.

If conversation fizzles out on you, then it's an issue with direction. You should always know which direction you want to be heading in. Pick a target. Know who she is. DHV to the group (even if they are made up stories about being a spy), and neg the target.

AMOG from other table: Nice peacock outfit. You must be a PUA!
Scent: Hold on a second honey, we can talk about you next.
*Roll eyes at the obstacle*
Scent: He better be careful or I'll get small-ears here to smash his face in with her suitcase. *point to her handbag*


On with the show!