Matchmaker, Matchmaker, Make Me a Match…

Remember the outfit for the “event-that-must-not-be-named” I alluded to in my last post? WELL! First, and most importantly, the outfit has been chosen and I am quite pleased. I thank you for all of your opinions via bloggery, face-bookery, and textery. It’s been most helpful and naturally, the reason why I choose fashionistas to be a part of my circle of friends. You have served your purpose well.  Pics to be posted once I actually don the finished product later today. I know you're, like, soooo interested.

Second, I’m sure you’d like to know what the “event-that-must-not-be-named” actually is. You should know that typing that phrase with dashes is rather tedious and next, I am going to make this as annoying as possible by beginning at the beginning before I just tell you what the event is already! Hurray! I also hesitated mentioning this at all because I wasn't sure if I "could." But it's not been alluded to otherwise so meh, why not. 

I was born at 11:03pm on October 12th, 1983 to Cheryl and Bru...oh wait... not that beginning. 

Several months ago, a good friend whom we shall call Holly because that is, in fact, her name, sent me a little clipping (e-clipping? Erp) from the Salt Lake Tribune with the subheading “Coming soon to a TV near you: aMormon Matchmaker reality show” exclaiming I would be her hero if I attempted to be part of these shenanigans. After a moment’s deliberation, I figured becoming someone’s hero by merely submitting answers to a few questions for a reality show I didn’t know anything about was well worth it! Hero-hood here I come! So submit I did and have since enjoyed 3 months of being a hero. It's a good feeling. If you ever have the chance to "earn" titles you don't deserve by doing things that require little effort and no foreseeable consequences or sacrifice, I suggest you do it. 

 The submission only required answering three questions “in brief” which included “Give a brief dating history” and “describe your perfect mate in 3-5 sentences.” Naturally, me being me and thinking I’m clever and funny, answered these questions in such a way that would convey such effortless cleverness.

Example

Described your perfect mate in 3-5 sentences: For the perfect man, combine the following: Indiana Jones, Maximus (Gladiator), and Atticus Finch with a dash of Agent Mulder; make him Mormon and you’ve created my perfect mate. An academic but can flick a whip (don’t get weird – it just means he’s manly you kinky bunch!), loyal, humble, and a fighter; scrupulous, a good father, hard worker, and patient; and finally, passionate and focused... and tallish. Mm hmm. 

 Eh? Eh? Well it’s my perfect not your perfect mate so back yo'self on up. And truly – I don’t think I’ve ever really thought about “my perfect mate.” Perhaps that has something to do with creating unrealistic expectations... OR the fear of gross disappointment. If you always have “perfect” in the back of your naturally flawed mortal brain, you’re setting yourself up for some monster disappointments and life long dissatisfaction. Turns out, people aren’t perfect. However, I don’t think you should settle either.  Strike a balance. Must haves… would be nice… and deal-breakers.  As I’ve gotten older, those things I like in a potential "mate" have changed… so perfect in a mortal mind is fluid as well. Thus making it even more unrealistic to try and nail down. 

I digress.

I submitted my answers and continued with my day to day living.

About a week later, I received a phone call from the casting agency for the Mormon Matchmaker reality show wanting to set up a Skype interview. With me! I must say I was surprised and most definitely curious. Mostly I wondered how slim the pickins really were to select the “Indiana Jones” girl. Am I right? We set up a Skype interview for a week hence and when the day came, I chatted with one of their folks for probably about 45 minutes. Most of the questions they asked were elaboration on the previous three I’d already submitted with some additions like “Would you ever date a divorced someone” (yes of course) or, “how important is religion in your dating” (gonna go ahead and say that is the #1 won’t compromise sort of thing... acknowledging that fate could have other plans but that’s my plan now). He also asked things like “I’m not Mormon, tell me why you want to marry another Mormon” which I responded by basically bearing testimony of temple marriage and eternal families and how that’s the only option for happiness for me because that’s how I want to live, raise my children, and share in that journey with the most important person in the world for me (Gee... tell me how your really feel). Needless to say, I was beginning to realize that if this was something I had the opportunity to participate in, I would be representing  an entire group of people and anything I did or did not do would be attached to 14 million other Latter-Day Saints. Too bad Glen Beck has never made this connection. Juuuuuust kidding… ish. And of course, I don’t think that little old me on a reality show I don’t even know I’m on yet would affect someone’s perspective of Mormons; particularly considering brighter spotlights shone on more substantial figures like Mr. Romney. But it might affect SOMEONE’s perception and that makes me a little nervous. Rep-re-sent! I should stop intermittently swearing... dammit. 

After the Skype interview ended, I was thanked and told I may or may not hear from them in 1-4 weeks. Show-biz. Always on their timetable.  Thus, day to day living resumed much as it always had; with no expectation either way.

As luck would have it though – I received an email request for an in person interview right here in downtown SLC. Naturally, SLC also happens to be the location for filming said show so let’s not pretend that my current living arrangements in SLC don’t make me an appealing candidate. I mean I’m RIGHT here.

That in-person interview is today.

Thus you see the need to pick an outfit that is representative of MOI.

Expectations?

Once again, not really. Ha! Which is probably what’s gotten me to this point in the first place. I will say, however, I’m very curious. All I know is this is a reality show featuring Mormons and a matchmaker’s attempt to help us find eternal love. Sounds about right as Reality TV goes, but as for logistics; i.e. will it be one girl set up with many guys or one guy and many girls (Bachelor flash! NO!)  or many girls and many guys? Shrug. Dunno. I’ve been promised these logistics will all be discussed today.  I am naturally a little weary of the whole thing as well. Particularly when I think of disasters (addictive disasters I admit it) like the Bachelor and the… er.. “type” of girl they clearly choose for such entertainment. It is, after all, still about entertainment! I’m just not that girl. Perhaps I’m the Ace in the hole! The quirky one who everyone feels kind of bad for but hopes upon hope that she’ll find a nerd just like her in the end!  Or perhaps they’ll make me the goody two shoes that everyone “aw… how sweet's (pat pat head head)” at her blatant naivety to things of the world. I also wonder if such a venue is somewhere I actually want to find someone to marry. If there’s one thing you can count on – it’s not to count on everyone being themselves in front of a camera. I’ll sure try my damnedest...er... darnedest, but if any research has told us anything about social experiences and attempting to make unbiased observations of groups of people’s mating rituals, it’s that you can never be sure if what you are getting is authentic or always tainted but the subjects knowledge of being under constant observation. "Act natural..." er... the first way to make me not act natural is to tell me to act natural. No one actively thinks about acting natural.... when they do it comes off as unnatural. Oh irony! I already know I’m going to be more aware of ME when it comes to representing my faith on a greater medium than my day to day interactions; so who knows how authentic I'll be. Or maybe this is a way to get me to step up a little bit more and represent a little bit better. To become the me I should be becoming anyway. 

I also think to much. So there's that.

All I DO know is that I have a really great outfit that represents my style and a Star Trek Encyclopedia and/or the complete 7 seasons of Star Trek the Next Generation on DVD (thanks, Jon and Pete!) as my prop(s) of choice. Already this is looking like a win-win scenario. Right?!?! Wish me luck!