VICTORIA — While it’s never comfortable to try new things, Kyle Hryckowian is throwing caution to the wind with dandelion puffballs, because he’s looking for love online. “Today was my first day,” Kyle says before blowing the fluffy seeds off the stem. “I’ve never done this before.” Kyle is posing for pictures in a field full of dandelions, because a couple of his friends were concerned about the pictures he’d posted on his dating profile. “They didn’t believe that I’d find anybody online,” Kyle smiles. “And that I didn’t have any good game.” So, a different friend—Kelsey Wood—agreed to help him take new photos. “It’s to try to open his horizons and meet new people,” Kelsey smiles after taking photos with her phone. Kyle says he’s posing with the dandelions to convey “an up-close and introspective look.” He’s also posed hitting balls and throwing a frisbee to show he’s sporty, playing a clarinet on the beach to show he’s creative, and sitting beside ducks to show he’s caring. But then Kyle says he posed for a picture wearing a blazer. “It’s a business shot with me talking on the phone yelling at people,” Kyle laughs. And that’s when this story takes an abrupt turn. “I don’t think it would be good for a dating profile,” Kelsey laughs, before pointing out how cheesy and awkward all the photos actually are. You see, Kelsey and Kyle are taking all these pictures as a joke, to show to his other friends who didn’t believe he could make a meaningful connection online, before revealing that he actually did. “They don’t know that I’m actually seeing somebody,” Kyle says before saying that the woman he did successfully meet is the same woman who you already met in this story. “We’ve only been dating for a couple weeks,” Kelsey smiles while taking a break from taking pictures. “I’ve always wanted to meet someone I can laugh with, and I feel like it’s been non-stop laughs since we first met.” Kelsey and Kyle say that spending this date with daffodils is about laying a foundation of fun. “It’s not about anything other than enjoying your life and enjoying these little moments together,” Kyle smiles. Just as blowing these dandelion seeds will likely lead to new plants growing, Kelsey and Kyle hope it leads to their relationship blooming.
