When Your Date Ideas Don't Go as Planned

The Box of plans for each of our 12 Dates 

It's often that my vision of these "perfect dates" don't go as planned. And truthfully, that's probably a good thing, because in the end - if I roll with the punches - my times out tend to go better than I'd hoped!

I'm still taking a dose of my own medicine, challenging myself to consistently go out on dates (with my husband). Last Christmas, I gave the gift of "12 Dates in 12 Months" - a year's worth of pre-planned dates for the two of us. My goal for these dates is the same as always: to do something fun without breaking the bank.
On the first of every month, my hero opens an envelope to find that month's surprise outing.
But while I was being so sneaky and crafty with these great date ideas last year, there was one little detail I hadn't added into the equation.
Pregnancy.
Because I've been pregnant (and had such a bad case of morning/noon/night sickness for the first three months of 2013), my plans have needed a bit of tweaking.
My two most recent dates were both ideas I'd found through LivingSocial.com. The first was for indoor G-Kart racing, including two tickets to cruise the nearby course, plus a couple of fountain drinks. I was especially looking forward to its evening "Black Light" sessions, where they turn on the neon lights and make you feel like you're racing through Tron's world.
My hopes for Go-Kart racing were thwarted when I read the "no pregnant women" ban on their website. So I decided to make it a double date with some friends of ours who are also expecting their first baby. Fellow expectant mom, Rachel, stood with me on the sidelines while we sipped our pregnancy-approved beverages and cheered as the guys got to pretend they were in the Indy 500. We spent the rest of the evening catching up and eating yummy Mediterranean food. It all worked out well!

Evan and Cort lookin' like Daft Punk

The neon-lit racetrack

In May, I had hopes to take us on a whale watching tour. The day started out with us hopping onto a boat along the beautiful Newport Beach Harbor.

The Newport Beach Harbor - a perfectly clear day for watching whales!

Stinky Sea Lions

Family of Dolphins

It turned out the whales were being shy and instead sent in some buddies for backup. We managed to catch a glimpse of some sea lions.
Even better: Watching half a dozen dolphins swim alongside our boat as we headed back into the Harbor. So cool!



Hey, at least no one confused ME for a whale, right?
When has a date gone awry from your plans and ended up even better?

Cheers to love, life, and your love life!
-Tam
        
Tamara Duricka Johnson is the award-winning author of 31 DATES IN 31 DAYS. 
She is a dating coach who helps successful singles conquer dating dilemmas and offers one-on-one coaching for those ready to take their love lives to the next level.