In Cincinnati, we often talk about "brain drain," the act of creative people leaving Cincinnati. But what about "Date Drain?" People are also leaving Cincinnati because dating in Cincinnati is, well, draining. Everyone knows everyone. Everyone's dated everyone. You meet someone and realize that they are the cousin of your last boyfriend. It's damn near incestual.
I'm still a new kid in Cincinnati- I've only been here about 13 years. Which, by Cincinnati standards, is a nanosecond. The funny thing is, as much as people complain about the small-town nature, they are reluctant to let it go. Cincinnati is like a microcosm of the immigration debate. Someone moves to Cincinnati, and it's like they immigrated from Micronesia. How are you supposed to relate- you don't even know their high school! And how are you supposed to meet them at the Friday night game. Does anyone realize that there are PROFESSIONAL sports teams in this city?
I honestly don't know how to fix this. I get involved in every activity I can, but I only meet people who are already dating their- of course! high school sweetheart. I talk to everyone I meet- I even went on a date with a guy I met at the grocery (of course, he was from London, so I guess it doesn't count). I do know this. Cincinnati will get smaller and smaller (literally) as long as people are in the hometown pride mindset. And Chicago, Columbus, Indy, and the like will get bigger as they embrace the newcomers.
Sooner or later, I'll decide it's time to settle down. I'll probably be in Chicago.
Monday, August 27, 2007
Monday, August 13, 2007
Songs by Staind
It's been a while...
I haven't written in a while. Although writing is cathartic for me, it's also exhausting. And life has been exhausting enough lately.
So you might remember a past post where I talked about going back to school- not for a PhD, but for a degree in Public Relations. Well, life has taken a sharp right turn again... I say right turn, because hopefully I'm headed in the correct direction.
Fall of 2008, I will hopefully be starting my doctorate in communication at Ohio University. Yes, moving to Athens, going to school full-time, and hopefully working towards finally becoming a professor and writer. Whew.
But now it's time for the pontificating that you all enjoy...
This morning I woke up and flipped on the TV and of course, it was HGTV. And it was a special on the "Ultimate Wedding Guide." And the "experts" were saying things like, "you want your guests to walk away thinking that wow, you thought of everything" and "favors should be either edible or useful" and "your dress sets the tone for the entire wedding."
Although my stomach was turning at this kind of stuff, you kind of wonder why there is such a fuss made about weddings and marriage. Marriage is no guarantee that you'll stay together- we are at a point now where the divorce rate is 50%! I know of so many couples that were together for years and years and then got married and divorced within 2 years.
It's not like I'm against marriage. I might get married myself some day... but I wonder if the emphasis that society places on the importance of a wedding and getting married by a certain age or at a certain point in your relationship puts undue pressure on couples- and that results in the sky-high divorce rate. I once asked my mother when she knew she and my father would get married (they dated for seven years before marrying). She said, "after about 5 years." Hardly that 2-year timeline that so many couples seem to have. And some people get married after 6 months and never look back.
I always hesitate to give advice on relationships, despite my background in the study of the same. Because every relationship is so different and so unique. We wonder why Brad and Angelina don't get married and then ridicule Britney for marrying everyone who seems to cross her path. Maybe we should all take a step back and let people do what they want with their relationships. Get married, don't, live together, don't, have babies first, don't... whatever floats your boat. I could go into the Christian Right's effect on this with their whole "family values" campaign, but I don't think this has to be a political discussion. I think it's more about appreciating the uniqueness of the individual, and the resulting uniqueness of relationships.
Ok, done for now... the next blog might be about my radical decision to admit- I don't really like kids all that much. I mean, they're fine and all, I just don't want to spend all sorts of time with ones I'm not related to. But that's for another day.
I'm sure you've missed me- I'll try to get back on here soon.
Namaste
I haven't written in a while. Although writing is cathartic for me, it's also exhausting. And life has been exhausting enough lately.
So you might remember a past post where I talked about going back to school- not for a PhD, but for a degree in Public Relations. Well, life has taken a sharp right turn again... I say right turn, because hopefully I'm headed in the correct direction.
Fall of 2008, I will hopefully be starting my doctorate in communication at Ohio University. Yes, moving to Athens, going to school full-time, and hopefully working towards finally becoming a professor and writer. Whew.
But now it's time for the pontificating that you all enjoy...
This morning I woke up and flipped on the TV and of course, it was HGTV. And it was a special on the "Ultimate Wedding Guide." And the "experts" were saying things like, "you want your guests to walk away thinking that wow, you thought of everything" and "favors should be either edible or useful" and "your dress sets the tone for the entire wedding."
Although my stomach was turning at this kind of stuff, you kind of wonder why there is such a fuss made about weddings and marriage. Marriage is no guarantee that you'll stay together- we are at a point now where the divorce rate is 50%! I know of so many couples that were together for years and years and then got married and divorced within 2 years.
It's not like I'm against marriage. I might get married myself some day... but I wonder if the emphasis that society places on the importance of a wedding and getting married by a certain age or at a certain point in your relationship puts undue pressure on couples- and that results in the sky-high divorce rate. I once asked my mother when she knew she and my father would get married (they dated for seven years before marrying). She said, "after about 5 years." Hardly that 2-year timeline that so many couples seem to have. And some people get married after 6 months and never look back.
I always hesitate to give advice on relationships, despite my background in the study of the same. Because every relationship is so different and so unique. We wonder why Brad and Angelina don't get married and then ridicule Britney for marrying everyone who seems to cross her path. Maybe we should all take a step back and let people do what they want with their relationships. Get married, don't, live together, don't, have babies first, don't... whatever floats your boat. I could go into the Christian Right's effect on this with their whole "family values" campaign, but I don't think this has to be a political discussion. I think it's more about appreciating the uniqueness of the individual, and the resulting uniqueness of relationships.
Ok, done for now... the next blog might be about my radical decision to admit- I don't really like kids all that much. I mean, they're fine and all, I just don't want to spend all sorts of time with ones I'm not related to. But that's for another day.
I'm sure you've missed me- I'll try to get back on here soon.
Namaste
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