My opinions obviously "date" me as old-fashioned.
Dating is what I did to find a mate. It wasn't supposed to be a lifetime occupation or just a pleasant way to pass the time.
If a lady proposed that I buy her groceries for our second date, I would find that perfectly acceptable if she also offered to prepare and serve me a home-cooked meal in her apartment in lieu dropping $100 on two dinners and drinks. I would bring the wine.
How much can you learn about somebody going to a movie (where you cannot converse) and then to a restaurant? She could have kids or a live-in boyfriend and there is no guarantee you would learn that in the artificial, contrived scripts of traditional dating. She could be a slob or be OCD. She could raise reptiles for a hobby or maybe she collects books. Maybe she decorates with empty vodka bottles or maybe she paints watercolors. Perhaps she plays the accordion or bag-pipes.
What does she consider an honest, home-cooked meal: A frozen pizza and Little Debbies nutty bars or salad, roast beef, mashed potatoes, green beans and home-made apple pie? Or, perhaps she is too "liberated" to cook?
If you look at the cost of a date as the cost of acquiring actionable information, dropping $100 on groceries could be the wisest $100 you will ever spend. You might learn that she is a keeper or might see a bunch of red-flags that tells you that she is somebody to drop like a hot potato. Most likely, you would find that she has promise and is willing to be flexible, excellent qualities that are often under-rated.
There is probably a plot for a good Rom-Com movie in that scenario.
The supply / demand curve for “dating” will be sharply course corrected when bellies go empty:
ReplyDeletehttps://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5uASQgLwaIs&pp=ygUiY29yYiBsdW5kIGdldHRpbiBkb3duIHRoZSBtb3VudGFpbtIHCQnKCQGHKiGM7w%3D%3D
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Food slavery isn't a good way to gain a trustworthy mate.
DeleteApt to discover what happened in Judges 5:26
A lot of info could be gleaned simply by what she puts in the cart.
ReplyDeleteAgree with Anon 9:54. I'm happily married with grown kids, but I make it a game to look at a cart and think of the household it is meant for. Looking for balance.
DeleteLots of cleaning products - neat freak. Nobody runs out of disinfectant - floor cleaner - paper towels at the same time. What type of dishwashing materials (machine vs. hand washing).
Lots of veggies with no meat products - health conscious and maybe overly so.
Nowadays, you view their social media, order a credit report and a background check. Finding a modern woman that can cook? It isn't impossible, but can be rather difficult, depending on your definition of cooking.
ReplyDeleteBoth of my daughters are excellent cooks thanks to Mrs ERJ.
DeleteMy daughters are skilled at cooking as well. They bake their own bread, make casseroles and soup from scratch. They all say that they are considered unusual for doing so by their peers.
DeleteNot to toot my own horn but I am a better cook than most women. Better than any of my relatives, save one. I cook, Bake, BBQ, Smoke meat, Can and Preserve, I can darn socks, sew cloth, leather, garden, carpentry, mechanical, plumbing, and fix firearms. Just as a start. The bar is set pretty high ladies. What do you bring to the table for a high value mate?
DeleteGood luck finding a restaurant where you can have a conversation, especially at our age.
ReplyDeleteDang! How hard up does a man have to be to tap an ignorant slug like that? First thing he would need is an interpreter. Can you say ebonics?
ReplyDeleteBitch be walking home from Walmart...
ReplyDeleteRun, don't walk, away.
ReplyDeleteThe fatigue grows heavier.
ReplyDeletePeople are different, but I generally carry in my arms what I'm buying at a grocery store. Sometimes I use a shopping bag, especially for refridgerated items, but my shopping is based off of a list of needs.
ReplyDeleteGrocery stores, etc., are designed for spontaneous purchases.
If someone is spending $200 or $300 at a grocery store, look at the items in the cart, how much money they're throwing away (wasted) in containers, boxing, and wrapping.