Posted by Trott

Inspired by a piece of advice in a somewhat cheesy book, PalaceFamilySteakHouse.Com is proud to announce 6-Hi Project. For the next thirty days, Dr. Heather (of Rochester, NY) and Trott (in San Francisco, CA) will say "hi" to at least six appealing strangers of the opposite sex and record the results here. Why? because here at PalaceFamilySteakHouse.Com, we're really into pointless-seeming projects.

The point is not to actually flirt with people or start conversation or get a date or anything like that, although anything is conceivable. The point, according to the somewhat cheesy book, is to get comfortable approaching attractive strangers and starting conversation, and to not take it personally if they're not interested. The point, according to PalaceFamilySteakHouse.Com, is to do something, see what happens, and document it. Thus, the 6-Hi Project was born.

If you would like to participate in the 6-Hi Project, please email pfsh AT PalaceFamilySteakHouse DOT com.

Trott Results for Day One:

• 3:21pm, Baker St. b/t Fell and Hayes: Said "hi" to a blonde who was walking her dog and talking to a friend. She didn't even hear me. Lesson learned: Saying "hi" to people who are already talking to friends is not effective.
• 3:22pm, Baker St. @ Fell: Said "hi" to a cute woman who was, like me, waiting for the light to change so she could walk across to the Panhandle of Golden Gate Park. I got no response. Lesson learned: Saying "hi" quietly to people who are twenty feet away is not effective.
• 3:43pm, Haight St. b/t Belvedere and Clayton: Said "hi" to a trashy-dressed but pretty woman. Got no response. Lesson learned: Saying "hi" to someone but not saying it loudly enough to actually be heard does not work
• 3:56pm, some coffee shop on Haight St.: Pay dirt! I said "hi" to a stunning woman in front of me in line. She actually looked at me, smiled very broadly, and nodded a "hello" without saying anything. Lesson learned: Saying "hi" in line is much more effective than saying "hi" to people you are passing on the street. Also, it doesn't take much to make me happy.
• 4:21pm, McAllister St. near Baker: No response from a very dignified-looking woman walking in the opposite direction. Lesson learned: No, really, saying "hi" to people walking in the opposite direction on the street doesn't get a response.
• 4:26pm, Golden Gate Ave. b/t Baker and Lyon: No response from a woman walking...across the street from where I was standing. Lesson learned: I can get lazy and kind of cheat when I need to just get that number six "hi" done.

Dr. Heather Results for Day One:

• Said "hi" to a hot employee at Best Buy. He said "Hi, how ya doin'?" And that was it. [Is this cheating? He's an employee who is duty-bound to respond, not a stranger.]
• Cute guy at Best Buy, Dr. Heather's type, she said, "Hi, how ya doin'?" "Not so bad, yourself?" "Fine."
• A guy who was not cute, but Dr. Heather said "hi" anyway and he said "hi." [I think this is cheating because the guy was not cute, but I'm the guy who said "hi" to a woman who was walking on the other side of the street. Since I counted that as actually saying "hi" to someone, I'm a big ol' cheater myself. So I shouldn't hurl stones in my glass house--except that I just did.]
• Heather to a different Best Buy employee: "Hi, how ya doin'?" "Hi." [Employee comment appplies again.]
• Heather to a nerdy Best Buy customer: "Hi." Nerdy customer to Heather: "Hi!" His eyebrows went up. [Not-cute comment applies again.]
• Dr. Heather still owes the PalaceFamilySteakHouse.Com community a #6.