I Love You, Let’s Meet

sez this pseudo-science story in the Times. Follow his link to his Findings column, and also check out the comments at the bottom of this one. The height debate is interesting — the consensus seems to be that tall women are admired as aesthetic objects, but a guy likes to feel quite a bit taller than the gal he’s with. (Which makes that dumb movie The Truth About Cats and Dogs even sillier — you watch it thinking, wait a minute, Janeane Garofolo is adorable; the only thing Uma’s got on her is about a foot.)

So it’s official, over-50s are online dating like crazy. I see a niche for the cool geezer site. I guess it’s fastcupid; that’s where the cool geezers I know (and am) are. I know cool people of a certain age on match, too. But maybe it would be nice to have an aging-hipster post-nerve site without the cute young people to tempt and confuse and shame us. Maybe not, just a thought.

Speaking of cool geezers, I did my funnest radio interview yet (will post it soon) on Women Aloud, a show on Greenstone Media, which Gloria Steinem and Jane Fonda started and promoted on the best guest segment I’ve ever seen on the Colbert Report. The two of them plug Greenstone perfectly; explain feminism in poetic sound bites (maybe a little essentialist, but that bothers me less and less); and are totally good sports in Colbert’s schtick — as was he, wearing the apron.

Much as I love Colbert (among his other virtues, he has lots of animals on his show), he’s usually horrible to guests. The most hostile thing here is the Bunny photo; there’s usually more stuff like that. I never blame the guest for being flummoxed because I’m sure it doesn’t feel like a fake-news attack when it’s happening to you.

So all the better to see Jane and Gloria carry the day so gracefully and illustrate their point.

this seems a very iffy arrangemen. Most online daters don’t want to have dessert with the person, much less a mortgage.

Russia’s online dating up a storm. Not sure if these numbers include sites like these or not.

And check out this primer on Russian brides from the horse’s mouth. My fave is her explanation to the fellas for why they can’t make their babeski laugh, under the FAQ  “What kind of a sense of humor do Russian women generally have? Do they laugh a lot or very little?”

Meaning mine. I saw this story about a gay Christian site and had two thoughts. (1) Why do they bother with an institution that’s been so crummy to them? and (2) I like them better than the straight Christians. Definitely better than the conservative ones who act all beleaguered even as they take over the U.S. of A. But that’s not all the Christians.
I had a weird moment at my reading in Annapolis, reading from a chapter where I list all the things that make me not respond to a profile — any race preference checked, desired age range that he’s not in, cliches, bragging — and stammered and apologized as I read “identifies as Christian.” A good friend from college who’s smart and tolerant and gay-friendly and kind — and a devout Christian — was there and I felt like a bigot reading that out loud. Like someone so used to always being around their own race or sexual orientation that they don’t even notice their own slurs until one of Them is unexpectedly in the room.

Perhaps I’m confusing embarrassment with conscience, but reading it, I suddenly didn’t like this person with this item on her list, which felt uncomfortable as I was just at that moment publicly being her.

I honestly can’t tell. It certainly includes a few of my least favorite memes.

was one of the lamer sayings on DC’s license plates. Now they say Taxation Without Representation, which I think is awesome. Do any other license plates protest current federal policy?

I’m headed south to read at DC Borders Tuesday 10 and Annapolis Mall Borders Wednesday 11 (details on calendar). I’ll also be going to this fabulous art opening Saturday night and seeing a bunch of friends and my parents and maybe cherry blossoms and doing a radio interview Friday. I’m psyched for my trip, but to paraphrase my fave Onion columnist, (it’s either him or Herbert Kornfeld) it means I won’t be rappin at ya for a while, amigos.

whose address is listed as 1115 Annapolis Mall(?)

reading, discussing, signing, and going out afterwards for a bite or a drink (open to suggestions for a place to do that from locals)

Reading, discussion, book signing; then eating and drinking afterward somewhere nearby

I’ve linked to some stories about the sites for hot women and rich men, with their Social Darwinism for Dummies commentary. What intrigued me in this article is the attempt mentioned at the end, to flip the script and set up a singles event for rich women and cute guys under 29. Here’s more about the sugar daddy/mama date nights. Men only had to be worth 200-400 grand, but women have to have millions!

It’s so depressing when women try to sink toward equality. You know, just because men enjoy something — smoking cigars, setting cars on fire when their team wins, treating human beings as status objects — doesn’t make it enviable.

Anybody out there got five million bucks I could borrow til this event is over? I would LOVE to be a black widow on the wall observing this bizarre hunt.