Friday, February 13, 2009

Dating. It ain't always pretty.

But it is, apparently, recession-proof (insofar as the concept "recession-proof" is even seaworthy nowadays).  Manhattanites, according to this article, welcome the advent of a world where everyone admits they're strapped for cash.  A VP in money management claims the recession is forcing men to reevaluate what they want in a partner and encouraging a "return to substance."  From your lips to God's ear, my good man. 

 

And then this morning I heard a similar spot on WNYC.

 

I stopped dating a few months ago when I realized that I wasn't enjoying it.  It was pretty depressing, and I was becoming even more cynical than usual.  I had to put the whole thing on hold until I could muster up some optimism, and these stories are sort of encouraging.

 

I'm the sort of girl who finds thrift sexy.  Granted, a guy can take it too far.  On one of my last dates before I gave up, I met a guy at a wine bar.  We were both having tough times financially--I'd been laid off, and he's in real estate--so I got there early and got my glass of wine and tried to pay for it before he got there.  Unfortunately, even though I asked for the check, the bartender didn't care for that strategy and left my $20 on the bar until after my date arrived.  Then he combined our tabs and gave my date the check.  I appreciate the bartender's commitment to chivalry, but it actually left me in an embarrassing situation.  What do I do with the $20 that's on the bar in front of me?  I gave my date the $20, which he took, and I didn't get any change.  It didn't add anything to the date--but then again, had the guy been a gentleman in other ways, it wouldn't have mattered.

 

I'll still be spending Valentine's Day quite happily at home alone with Indian takeout. But maybe I'll feel a little less cynical about the folks who are in the restaurants on Saturday.

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