Random Dating and other Randomness

You know, I wonder about the state of affairs between women and men. We don't talk about it much – okay, men don't talk about it, women talk about everything (we are intellectual that way) – but there seems to be some conflict between men and women. Sort of like the book, "Men are from hell, women are from Venus." Was that the title? I can't remember now.

Anyway, when I was in college and dating, we women wanted a date to do stuff that we liked. Tickets to the theater, eating out, long strolls, flowers, girl stuff. Even the movies we wanted to see were different. We liked romantic comedies, men wanted movies where things blew up. Well, a super men's movie would have scantily clad women decorating the men, and things that blew up (a James Bond movie, perhaps). And when I dated, I wanted the same things mentioned.

I approached dating sort of randomly. I mean, a guy asked me out, and we went out. The first date was normally to a movie (lack of imagination), and if the point of a date was to get to know someone better, this date did not accomplish this. Not really. Second date would be out to eat and then dancing – or to the theater.

I like going out to eat, but on a date with someone I want to impress: absolutely not. I would order something on the menu that was fairly cheap, had lots of green, and then I would eat half of what was served. The last thing I wanted was a reputation for eating. No "clean plate club" for me. I can vividly remember coming home after a date and then eating again. Because I was hungry. How crazy is that?

I guess I did not understand the point of dating: If the objective is to have a good time, I failed because for the most part, the first few dates could be painful. If the objective was to find a mate, then my selection process was not very efficient at all. I had more fun when we went out as a group – I could dance with anyone, and not upset my date. When going to a movie in a group, I did not have to spend my attention on a lame date. I guess I just did not get dating.

Now that I am married, I think I would be a better date. And hubbie knows that I need to be taken out a couple of times per month. And I can eat all I want at dinner. Trouble is, now I can't try and ditch my date if things don't go well.

Extra Stuff
The other day, I found this in Wikipedia and I thought it was interesting:

"Faithless elector" in Minnesota
One elector in Minnesota cast a ballot for president with the name of "John Ewards" [sic] written on it. The Electoral College officials certified this ballot as a vote for John Edwards for president. The remaining nine electors cast ballots for John Kerry. All ten electors in the state cast ballots for John Edwards for Vice President. (John Edwards' name was spelled correctly on all ballots for Vice President.) This was the first time in U.S. history that an elector had cast both of his or her votes for the same person.

Electoral balloting in Minnesota was performed by secret ballot, and none of the electors admitted to casting the Edwards vote for President, so it may never be known who the "faithless elector" was. It is not even known whether the vote for Edwards was deliberate or unintentional, although the Republican Secretary of State and several of the Democratic electors have expressed the opinion that this was an accident. It is worth noting that an Independence Party straw poll, which was published in lieu of an endorsement from that party, selected John Edwards for President, though there is no evidence to suggest that this is related to the Edwards electoral vote for President.

Similarly, I read this story yesterday and was floored:

Trucker's Breathalyzer Registers 18 Times Legal Limit
VILNIUS, Lithuania -- Police in Lithuania are amazed by a truck driver's Breathalyzer test.

They said the driver registered 18 times the legal alcohol limit.

At first, officers figured the machine was broken. It wasn't. Authorities said it must be an unofficial intoxication record.

One police official told The Associated Press that the man should have been dead -- and certainly not driving.

The truck driver told police he had been drinking the night before and tried to sober up with a beer for breakfast. He's been fined more than $1,000 and will lose his license for up to three years.