On the Scene
Crazy Blind Date
Now blind dating is online? Our own Carrie Seim gives it a whirl!
-Carrie Seim
Do women have an obligation to shave their legs?
Should it be illegal to burn the flag?
Do you know what sperm tastes like?
Thus begins the OMFG personality quiz on the new site .crazyblinddate.com” target=”_blank”>CrazyBlindDate.com. It’s totally free and absolutely insane. I, of course, signed up immediately. Why not meet a complete stranger whom I know nothing about and who has absolutely no social proof? Bring it on! After all, finding true love takes guts. (And good shoes … more on that later.)
They’re not kidding about the blind part – you only get a pixelated photo, a first name and a clever quote from your mystery man. They tell you where to go and when to show. All you have to bring is a “sense of adventure” and “reckless abandon.” (I’d also like to add “mace” to that list.) You’re not allowed to contact your blind date until 30 minutes before the meetup. At that point you can send anonymous texts via the Web site, so you know whom to look for – or whom to run from, infused with the fear of God.
The dates are all very last-minute. I registered on Monday morning, and by that evening, I was sipping cocktails with three complete strangers. Yes, THREE strangers – because in case a regular blind date isn’t crazy enough for you, they offer to set you up on a DOUBLE blind date. Four total strangers, all deranged enough to try something like this. (Just to be safe, I told several friends where I’d be. I also finalized my living will.)
Here’s what I texted to my date: “I’m wearing a black dress and awesome silver heels.”
Here’s what I got back: “Gray flannel shirt. Hiking boots.”
Needless to say, the Web site lived up to its name. My date was definitely blind and definitely crazy. But although my first experience was a bummer, I found myself signing up again the next morning. The whole thing is bizarrely addictive, kind of like a bad ’70s game show. So I’ve decided to keep playing. Big money, big money, no whammies!
