Seven Dates in Seven Days

And Now, A Word From The President:

Hello from behind the black curtain! I’ve never posted on this thing before, nor did I care to, but after reading 3 rounds of this - I am compelled. I just figured that since everyone else involved has posted (Steve, Rich, Susie, the daters, Gowa’s dad, etc), it might be time to share my thoughts too.  This started as a challenge. Steve said that it was hard to meet women to date in NYC, and I, being slightly drunk, said something like “screw youuu, Schteeve. I could sendjoo on a date evry night a da week.” and he probably said something like “prove it” and I never back down.

So far, this has been an interesting ride for me, as one of my goals in life is to make everyone have more friends by sharing all of mine. I’ve always walked around thinking things like, “Wow it was cool to meet that guy, I bet my friend, Meatball, would like him.”  And then I schemed ways to get those 2 people together in just the right situation where they would meet in just the right context.  I love people and collecting them. They seem to be ok with it though, they end up telling me weird secrets about themselves, life stories, and opening their tender underbellies to me, and this helps me tell who they might like (and I’m pretty good at getting that part right!).  It’s an adventure to meet people and it’s always been easy for me. I exchange e-mail addresses with people who sit next to me on flights, I’ve talked to telemarketers about their Meth problems, and I knew the New Haven pizza delivery guy’s life story.  Who knows, the pizza guy might like my friend, Lulu, so he’s worth figuring out.

What makes this fabricated situation so interesting to me is how willing 24 people in NYC are to meet each other in such a ridiculous (even to me) context. Why is everyone letting me do this to them?  I think the answer is that people want to meet each other. Human interaction and meaningful connection is so much more important than the NYC population gives credit.  It’s been proven to improve health, mental agility, and at a generally constantly fulfilling level can help prevent depression (Cacioppo & Patrick, 2008).  We’re unfulfilled without it.

I find that when I ask ‘why are you doing this’ the participants keep saying things like “Why not do it? You’re doing all the work, I just have to go. It will be fun.”  If that’s really it - why aren’t we busy, young professional, New Yorkers going out there and doing it for ourselves?  We step in front of speeding cabs every day; putting ourselves on the line to make a friend is far less hazardous and has potential for many more rewards. 

I guess what I’m trying to say is that you can reach out and do it for yourself. For the most part, you won’t be rejected. You might be surprised how rarely that does happen.  Heck, I was even suprised by the fact that no one was rejected during this whole thing (save, Steve once).  You would be floored by the diversity of the characters we assembled, but yet almost every date had an awesome time.  If this blog proves anything, it shows me how much people really do want to meet each other, how easy it is to get along, and how easy it is to like someone new. If we get too wrapped up in the work it would take to meet people and how little time we have to maintain relationships, then when will we make friends? Social interaction makes you healthy. Like milk, it does your body good - in all kinds of ways. 

I think so far this has been my least successful actual pairing of people because no one really seems to have any lasting prospects.  Setting people up en masse is KILLING my percentage.  But, at the same time it is my most successful feat of ‘bringing people together’.  Damn, it feels good to be a gangster.

Peace Out,
Steph Bloch