Laura's 1998 Dating Criteria

You know that I am writing a self-help book, right? Well, I notice that I blog, and I do not work on my book. Therefore, it makes sense that I should blog about my book. Here are some notes I took a long time ago from a conversation with one of my best friends for my book:

1. Smart
Fairly self-explanatory and total subjective

2. Funny
That is to you. Laura believed that she would spend her life with the person who can make her laugh so hard she pees in her pants, since laughter is very important to her and she has never peed in pants from it.

3. Attractive
Including any physical requirements you may have for height, fitness, basic good looks and that animal thing.

4. Passionate about something you can relate to
This one has two operatives: 1) Passionate about something – this screens out the dysforic and people who don’t know what they’re doing here (alive that is) and 2) something you can relate to – since if you’re, say, a transit activist you may not be very happy with someone whose passionate about fancy cars for very long.

5. Committed to the Bay Area
Or as committed as you are to where ever you want to be. This Includes both the short and long term: you can’t hangout unless you’re in the same place and you need to agree about where you’re going to raise your kids.

6. Good Values
This includes social justice and environmentalism or whatever your religion involves.

7. Carries Kindness as a Value
You deserve to be with someone nice. You can decide what to do about snails latter.

8. Listens to You
You can enforce this one even if you talk constantly about nothing. It’s still important.

9. Comparably educated
This only applies if it is going to bother you when your spouse does not have an opinion about Remembrance of Things Past or know where the Peter Brady was when he almost got bit by a tarantella – a legitimate grievance. But seriously, the type of preparation for the world one receives greatly influences one’s view of the world and one’s role in it, so carefully consider this aspect of potential companions.

10. Crazy about you
This one is not always immediately apparent. However, it does need to be closely considered. You deserve to be with someone with this characteristic, so screen for it assiduously. This screening includes, but is not limited to, making certain your potential companion makes ample effort to be with you as often as you desire.


Secondary criteria (to think about):
* Willing/Able/Inclined to incorporate travel into his/her Lifestyle. Or at least has a similar tolerance for it as you do.
* Enjoys similar daily activities, i.e. able to party as needed, likes active outdoors activities, etc.
* Not freaky about money
* Does the dishes, cleans house, cooks