Why is "Wedding Season" in the Summer?

August 11, 2015 by Sara Woznicki in Humor, Leisure, Life In Your 20's, Dating, life lessons, Sara's Column, Tweets and Mascara

My uncle got married this summer. Last summer, my two cousins both got married during the summer months. As did my childhood best friend. In previous summers, my other two cousins got married in the summer. As did what I estimate millions of people, because summer is "wedding season."

I took to the streets with my journalistic integrity and surveyed at least one person about why people all get married in the summer. The answers I got were because that's when people plan and expect to travel, because more people are off during the summer (teachers, it's just teachers and their students) and that people don't want to get married when it's cold.

Why I Downloaded Tinder: A Love Story

August 10, 2015 by Cazey Williams in Cazey's Column, Dating, Humor, Life In Your 20's

On a recent afternoon I contemplated deleting all the dating apps off of my phone. So far nothing has come from them for me, and I often feel hollow swiping left and right to people's profiles, especially when it becomes an automatic activity for when I'm bored. Maybe I should read something? Even scrolling through Twitter might be more fulfilling than deciding whether someone's selfie merits browsing through more of their selfies.

This led to reminiscing on why I originally downloaded dating apps.

"How Would You Kill Me?" and Other Conversation Openers

August 05, 2015 by Cazey Williams in Cazey's Column, Dating, Humor, Life In Your 20's, life lessons, Social Media

A few weeks ago, while returning from out of town to Richmond, I was graced with the following message via OkCupid:

Hey, I'm Rachel :-) I would assume a lot of women start out with a hypothetical relationship question, but I'm curious.. say it were the end of the world, and we were the last 2 people, and there was nothing to eat except for the little bunny in front of us, how would you kill me for the food?

The Closer

July 27, 2015 by Cazey Williams in Cazey's Column, Dating, Humor, Life In Your 20's

Here is a short story about the characters we meet in life. Last spring I met a girl-next-door type through some friends. Let's call her, in a Seinfeld way, the Closer for reasons that will become obvious. I remember we all grabbed ice cream, and the Closer wore a maxi dress, which is an item of clothing that all females should be forewarned is hideous. I have never seen someone wear a maxi who I thought looked desirable. At best, you look like Cleopatra rolled up in a rug. Then again, you don't have to dress to catch my eye, but I just wanted to put out a PSA.

Despite her maxi, the Closer fit my hypothetical dating material prerequisites. That is, she was an educated, attractive brunette. I contemplated a summer fling. The spring nights were already lengthening into perpetual twilights, classes had ended, and both of us singles (another prerequisite . . . theoretically) would be in town for the summer with a much smaller friend group.

Run-Ins with Would-Be Lovers, Part II

July 23, 2015 by Cazey Williams in Cazey's Column, Dating, Humor, Life In Your 20's

Last post I discussed an unfortunate side effect of using dating apps, i.e. running into someone whose profile you've seen online. This is more awkward if you happen to have actually matched with the person and then you bump into each other in public.

I'm surprised this hasn't happened more often to me. I use dating apps like magazines in a doctor's office. I'm constantly browsing when bored. But it's not like I'm about to either a.) read the full article or b.) ask for a subscription. Simply, I collect matches like a fantasy football league, and just like with football, I don't play the game. All the players are on the bench. Even me.

Run-Ins with Would-Be Lovers

July 22, 2015 by Cazey Williams in Cazey's Column, Dating, Humor, Life In Your 20's, life lessons

Welcome back to the newest season of why I shouldn't use dating apps. Three things happen when you log onto Tinder/OkCupid/Bagel Meets Coffee/Bumble (yes, that's a real app): You match with either someone you like, someone you don't, or someone you know.

In general when I come across a friend on any such app, I close up shop and move states. Okay, I really just the close app. I have other friends who automatically swipe right and others who automatically swipe left. Either way, I really don't care what you do. Today is not a rant on the proper etiquette for interacting with friends through Tinder. You just need to be prepared when you run into your friend at the next happy hour. You never know if they'll bring it up. Or maybe they didn't see you! "You're on Hinge? What's that?"

The Slow Fade, It’s All Right By Me

June 30, 2015 by Sara Woznicki in Dating, Life In Your 20's, life lessons, Sara's Column, Tweets and Mascara

My manager sent around this gem about modern dating, which was all about the new trend in relationships: fading out. It gave a few reasons as to why it’s popular: when dating seems to be getting serious, it's a prime time to bail out. Pair that with our natural inclination to use social media to constantly monitor the outside world for better options, and you've got the recipe for a quick fade out.

When I was in college, this trend slayed me. I mean – really – how hard is it to meet with me and tell me face to face why you’re not feeling it all of a sudden? I always wanted closure and rarely ever got it. The compounding factor was that I’d be friends with these guys on Facebook or follow them on Twitter and could see what they’re up to (or more importantly who they’re with), which would just throw a bit more coal on my burning fire of desire for closure.

Jeanine the Giraffe Hunter, or the Scariest Tease I Ever Met

June 24, 2015 by Cazey Williams in Cazey's Column, Dating, Humor, Life In Your 20's, life lessons

Two months ago I went on a quasi-date with "Jeanine." I never thought it a date until she referenced it as such, and so then I went with it. Later, we hung out, and the date came up.

"But you know we're just friends, right?" she said. "That's all I'm looking for."

I had deduced even before our date that Jeanine was a conglomerate of clinginess and hypochondria, so this was fine with me. I had to stop myself from nodding too fast to being "just friends" and mentioning she was too manic for me.

I'm on Tinder; Aren't You?

June 22, 2015 by Cazey Williams in Cazey's Column, Dating, Life In Your 20's

"Hello, my name is Cazey, and I am on Tinder."

Three months ago, I would have been embarrassed to admit that, but then you write a blog, and your life becomes a series of self-selected exploitations. Also, dating app stories make for good blog posts. So here's my full confession: I have downloaded up to five dating apps on my phone at once. Bagel Meets Coffee emails me on the reg that I have been active FIFTY-FOUR DAYS IN A ROW, so I get a free Bagel. What is my life?

I'm Not Impressed With Your Netflix

June 09, 2015 by Sara Woznicki in life lessons, Tweets and Mascara, Dating, Sara's Column, Life In Your 20's, Leisure, Humor

It's all the new rage in dating. Apparently all the guys will offer it. And I'm only assuming they offer it because girls agree to it.

Rather than offering to take me to dinner, drinks, coffee, a walk, a hike, a kayaking adventure, a theme park, a play, a concert, a sporting event, a museum, a beach or any of the seemingly endless other fun opportunities that this world has graced us with, guys these days like to seduce women with their Netflix account.