💔 Your dating horror stories

🚴 Lance Armstrong Movie in the Works

“Elvis” actor Austin Butler is set to play Lance Armstrong in a movie about the local cyclist’s life. Edward Berger, who directed “Conclave,” will direct. [Deadline]

📺 Talarico Raised Enough for Super Bowl Ad in Days

U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico raised $100,000 in about a week for a Super Bowl ad. Talarico dropped the ad last Thursday, just before the game. [City Cast Austin 🎧]

🪧 AISD Issues New Guidance on Protests

Austin Independent School District staff will only monitor student walkouts that happen within 300 feet of a school, new guidelines released by the district say. The new guidance comes as student walkouts against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement rise. [KUT]

⚖️ Judge Sides With City on Convention Center Suit

A judge ruled that the city did not act unlawfully when Austin’s city clerk rejected a petition by Austin United PAC to stop construction on the convention center. [KVUE]

Valentine’s Day is approaching and while that may be exciting for some, others have been stuck in the Austin dating trenches for too long. We recently asked y’all for your dating stories — the good, the bad, the missed connections, and more — and you absolutely delivered! Here’s a handful of stories that came through our inbox:

These have been edited for style and clarity.

Stuck in a Clique-ish World

“I just wanted to give you my take on ‘Dating in Austin’ as a 30-something widowed gay man. Having moved to Austin after 14 years in Houston, I’ve found dating here to be difficult at best. To me, Austin feels so much more clique-ish than my experience coming of age in Houston. It’s been hard to connect and make new friends or meet someone interested in a date. This may be specific to the gay community, or more widely typical, but there seems to be a focus on sexual encounters as a precursor to any more serious connection. As a late 30s gay man who has had a deep and meaningful connection with a partner and lost that, sexual connection is important but not within the first few things I’m looking for. Needless to say, it’s been disheartening putting myself back into the dating pond in Austin this last year.”

– Eric I.

Sour Grapes

“Dating stories? Well, once I asked a woman from a dating app if she wanted to go to Fat Bottom Cabaret. Bought two VIP tickets. Got stood up. And you know what? A year later I was dumb enough to do it again with a different woman. Got stood up again. I have given up! Such sour grapes. ”

-AH