Read 'Til You Drop

Remember Jennifer?  The participant in the Washington Post's DateLab (the newspaper sends two strangers out on a first date, then interviews them and prints the often-unexpected results in the Sunday Magazine)?  I had posted my disbelief at some of the things a couple had stated publicly, and Jennifer responded with very polite and well-reasoned explanations of the DateLab process and her participation therein.  (You can read all of my prior posts, along with Jennifer's replies and the general discussion, by clicking on the "datelab" tag in the left-hand column on this blog.)

In any case, the Washington Post is revisiting some of its DateLab pairings for Valentines Day.  Here's how Jennifer describes the game:

* * *

The Post is doing sort of an encore for its Valentine's issue, in which four girl and four guy previous Datelabbers have been invited back.  The catch, however, is that only one guy and one girl will be sent out--and the public gets to decide who.  It's kind of fun and silly, and I thought you might take interest.

Both winners will have $500 donated to their charity of choice, so I wanted to be in touch to get people to vote.

Here's the link:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/artsandliving/datelab/redate/index.html

* * *

End of Jennifer's quote - Mindy here again...  I'm going to check out the Post page, and I thought some of you might want to as well.

Mindy, amused

One of the recurring storylines in GIRL'S GUIDE is the horrific, terrible, horrible, no-good, very-bad dates of Melissa White (the best friend of the main character.)  Not one of Melissa's dates could possibly be as bad as this week's Date Lab:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/29/AR2006082901100.html

This week's segment was Train Wreck fascinating - the woman seems to be so *completely* self-centered.  I would *never* expect a guy to compliment me on my clothes; especially a cute straw-like handbag.   And calling him on perceived rudeness in the middle of the date, when a waiter asks for his dessert order?!?  I think we have a new way to spell high maintenance....  (The guy seems to be invisible - I got no sense of who he is or what he believes.) 

Now, I know from Jen stopping in here after her DateLab experience that there's some pretty heavy-duty editing going on in these segments.  But somehow, I don't think the editors needed to do a lot of doctoring for this one.

Mindy, still shuddering

So, my fascination with the Washington Post's DateLab continues.  Even yesterday, when I was reading SORCERY AND THE SINGLE GIRL at break-neck pace, smoothing the last of its rough edges and putting it to bed (at least until I receive an edit letter!), I had to take a break to read yesterday's DateLab.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/23/AR2006082301578.html

A doctor, a lawyer, a trendy upscale Indian restaurant (did they choose that because the guy was of Indian descent?!?)  Every since Jen posted here (hi, Jen!, if you're reading), I'm highly suspicious of the editing in these pieces.  I really want to know what is languishing on the "cutting room floor".  It certainly seems, from the bits and pieces quoted, like Bobby and Sarah were a great match - they seemed to mesh well, and they both perceived the date to be a "4" (out of 5.)

Yet, the update says that Sarah didn't feel much chemistry, and that - while they've hung out as friends - nothing more has happened.

Huh.

Dating is just such a strange activity.  It can mean so many different things - looking for someone to share a good meal with, looking for someone to have sex with, looking for someone to bring to the company picnic, looking for someone to go to movies with, looking, looking, looking.... 

In my experience, the chances that any one date would lead to a long-term relationship was slim.  I had a (small) handful of long-term relationships before I met my husband.  I had a dozen or so crushes that I made myself hope were long-term relationships.  And I had dozens and dozens and dozens of dates that led nowhere - not even to a second date.  So, if DateLab had tracked the vast majority of my dates, my write-up would likely be similar to the ones that I've read in the Post.

Does my experience (and my ratio of dates to relationships) match up to yours?  For the gay folks reading here, is it different for you?  Are there any men brave enough to post?  And why do I think about this stuff so much? :-)

Mindy, figuring that most folks won't actually post a reply in this non-anonymous forum :-)

The Washington Post Sunday magazine has a relatively new feature:  DateLab, where they send a couple out on a date, then interview them afterwards to find out what they thought of each other.  Here's the most recent column:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/08/AR2006080800979.html

I am completely fascinated by this feature.  I am amazed by the things that people will say to reporters -- knowing that those things are going to be printed in the Sunday glossy for all to read.  The weekly absolute disconnect between what the woman is thinking and what the man is thinking fascinates me, in the same way that a bruise going from purple to green is fascinating/disconcerting/unsettling.

I wonder, when I read this feature, if my amusement/horror/disgust with the interviewees is a sign of my getting older.  I cannot imagine participating in the entire enterprise, but if I did, I definitely would mind what I said to a journalist afterwards.  I think, though, in a world where people blog their every emotion, many just don't realize this is going to be Printed!  In the Newspaper!  Where Everyone and His Mother can read it!

Mindy, not big on reality TV, but totally fascinated by reality "news"