Checking out another speed dating company

While waiting to hear from the speed dating company from the Groupon and Hudson Terrace Events, one of my wing women got a deal for another speed dating company and we decided to check it out. It was speed dating for women who were 30-39 and men who were 32-40.  The ticket was only $5 and since I had never actually gone speed dating it was a great opportunity, plus, I might meet someone.   Only L and M were available for this event, and N is a little younger than the rest of us and is looking for slightly younger guys.  This company actually was doing 2 events in one night.  The other event was for an age bracket of people in their 40s.  When we arrived we were given a pamphlet with a seat assignment on it.  Once we got our drinks the event started.  The way this company worked was that you had a number assigned to you.  Each date was 8 minutes long and you only got to meet 8 people even if there were more than 8 men in your age bracket.  This was kind of frustrating because I did see a cute guy who I never got to meet.  I would have to say that most of my dates were pretty boring.  There were two guys who were pretty good looking and one of them I did not connect with but the other was a lot of fun.  On our 8 minute date we actually came up with a fun game where during each of our other dates we would look at each other and give a signal of how the date was going.  It was based on if we turned our cards away or towards each other.  Away meant it was poorly…towards meant it was going well.  It was really fun because he was my third date, so we got to play the game for a majority of the event and you had to try to make the signal without seeming obvious about what we were doing.  Then came K.  I think it would be kind to say that K was at least in his late 40s.  Even though the age bracket was for men who were no older than 40.  I have a feeling that he lied about his age because he would actually rather date women in their 30s than women who were in his own age bracket.  Besides the obvious discrepancy in his age, he was just strange!  He said he was a producer of films and he went on and on without coming up for air about his life.  To say it was the longest 8 minutes of my life would be an understatement.  I have to say that 8 minutes is WAYYYY too long.  After all, it’s called speed dating right?  After you met each guy you had to choose whether you connected with them as romantic, friendship or business interest…or not at all.   You turned your card into the host and they would email you any mutual connections that you had with the person’s contact information.  Here is what is sketchy about it…the host told us, if you are interested in someone, check them off in all three categories.  That way, if the person only checks you off as a friend or business interest, you still get their contact information and try to work on them romantically.  So while it’s a mutual connection, one party might not necessarily have honest intentions.  Also, lets be honest, I don't think anyone goes to speed dating to meet business connections.  While it might be cool if you did, that is not the intention of the event.  I did check off my game partner as a friend and we did have a match that way.  We became Facebook friends, but I never saw him again.    And unfortunately the guy I didn't get to meet didn't stay after the event, so I didn't get to meet him either.