How To Get The Guy or, Girls Are Sad
Having been forced to make the foray into network television this year, my eyes were opened to how terribly pathetic all women on Reality TV shows are. I thought it couldn't get any lower than the Bachelor. I mean, can it get lower than 30 girls clawing each other's faces off over some brain dead chach ball who, 7 weeks later, is weeping into a camera about how he REALLY LOVES both girls, and HOW COULD HE POSSIBLY CHOOSE?
Well, it just did. Four girls on ABC are currently being coached by two "love experts" on my television, experts who say that the three principles of meeting somebody are, listen closely: 1) Make eye contact, 2) Smile, 3) Invade their personal space. Experts who say things like, "Girls, approach EVERYTHING as an opportunity to MEET A MAN." They actually used the phrase, "drop the hanky" when talking about putting out the vibe. They actually used the phrase, "dating is a numbers game," and asked them to practice, "volume dating."
Now, assuming for a moment that men are unable to smell the stank of desperation, YOU ARE STILL ON TV BEING VIDEOTAPED TRYING TO PICK UP AT GUY AT FOOT LOCKER. Dating today is too freaking complicated. Friends are asking whether they should call him or text him, whether they should email him again since he didn't return the last one or wait for him to write back. Frankly, it's exhausting even to listen to it. Watching it on ABC is almost too much. It'd be unbearable if it didn't satisfy that inner desire to slow down at car accidents to see the carnage.
I'm no expert on dating, men, women, love, or marriage, but I'll tell you what my Mother told me: There is somebody for everybody. It'll happen when it happens. Life is simple: you find work you enjoy, you strive to be a good person, and you find somebody to share it all with.
Nora - I can relate to this stressful mindset that a lot of young women in their 20's have, as I have a daughter this age who like so many, are sensitive to this "single" state. Unfortunately, the media doesn't help to dispel this unfortunate perception. On the other hand, even though it may come across as "easier said than done", I think this 20's age segment provides incredible opportunities to leverage one's independence and enjoy new hobbies, meet so many different people, travel, and mature as they gain in experience. I know so many people who married too young and now wish they could retrieve this window of opportunity to try new things, since it's a long wait before kids grow up and leave the nest.
Good advice, Nora. I have to say though, that it is fun for us single girls to obsess about things like emails and text messages. I've found myself doing that sometimes too...until I put it in perspective. If it's meant to be, it'll happen. If not, there is someone else out there. It's the "unknown" of how things are going to turn out that make girls crazy and obsessive. We should just be having fun and not worrying about it...that's when things happen. But, again...easier said than done.
Right, now just imagine Tara Reid doing that 24/7 on a little show I liked to call "Taradise". Truly amazing.
Yeah, let the record show that in my life I have had only three boyfriends. One was in 4th grade, he now seriously dates my cousin and is currently my best friend. The other was in 8th grade, he was a year younger, it lasted maybe a week. The third and final boyfriend I trapped at age 15 and have been going out with/breaking up with for, oh, about 8 years now. So an expert I am not.
It's always easier said than done, and I respect my fellow girls who are battling it out on the dating field. But do NOT, I repeat do NOT go on a reality dating show unless you want me to punch you.
and if it's not the one person, it'll be another. Humans are endlessly adaptable.
I've seen a few friends succumb to the dating frenzy, but to be honest that feels like 10th grade to me and I'm much happier just doing whatever.
Not that I should talk, as I'm in the third year of my current relationship.
Because it relates to the topic, this seems as good a time as any to tell an amusing story about my little sister's latest boyfriend (or at least the latest boyfriend I've heard about). Also, since she already commented above, she probably won't read this and she'll never know I betrayed her trust so terribly. This isn't going out on the Internet or anything, right? I'm assuming this is just your private little blog, so I'm okay.
Anyway, my little sister (I'll call her "A") went out on a date with a new guy who just so happened to be a lawyer, so naturally she called me up to see if I knew anything about the guy. After some casual asking around and a series of meetings with private investigators and wire-tap experts, I learned he was a very smart guy, funny, and a great young lawyer. Oh, and I also learned this little nugget - the guy was on "Elimidate" when he was in law school. Not that there's anything wrong with that. It's not like that show encourages "volume dating" or asks women to debase themselves like in the shows you mentioned above. Or maybe it does, I'm not sure. Anyway, I mention this only to highlight what an awesome boyfriend this guy is likely to be (assuming he picks A over the 6 other girls he's currently dating . . . KIDDING! JUST KIDDING!). To be honest, I am just jealous, since I repeatedly got turned down for that show in my pre-Minnehaha Mama days.
Thank you, Eric! Thought I wouldn't check back in? Think again.
Yes, it's true! Best part is "my latest" tried to tell me all his friends called it "E-LAME-idate" because it was such a tame episode. I believed him until last night I met a guy who went to law school with him who kind of cringed when I asked him if he had seen the episode. He told me all about the "hot tub" scene. Awesome! I might need to preview this episode before continuing this relationship...