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What’s in Your Backpack?
Recently, I watched the Jason Reitman film Up in the Air for a second time. George Clooney (can you blame me?) gives a remarkable soliloquy about having too much stuff in "your backpack." Ironically, the speech was in defense of his not being married, not wanting to be tied down, not wanting to be dependent on another. He finds love, however, and can no longer deliver his "backpack" speech with authenticity. This film is reminiscent of the backpacks that some of the single men and women that I speak with carry around. They "must get to CrossFit by 6 PM daily." They must "travel to Chile." They must "have that Hamptons share." They must "___ " I cannot help but think of...
Steve Jobs’ Anniversary and the Burden of Discussing Your Past
Two years ago tomorrow, Steve Jobs finally succumbed to an illness that took his genius away from us way too early. I am posting this blog on one of his creations and you might be reading these words on a Jobs creation as well. The purpose of these thoughts are that he left a young widow, Laurene Powell Jobs. They were married for about twenty years. Laurene was in her forties when her husband passed and the Daily News reported in August that she was dating former DC mayor, Adrian Fenty. How do you explain your past relationship to Mr. Fenty? My husband has been compared to Thomas Edison, Benjamin Franklin, and the company he left behind has, at times,...
We Can’t All be John Legend
I remember fondly listening to John Legend when he was an a cappella dreamboat at Penn. You did not have to be an A&R man from Sony to recognize his talents. On the occasion of his marriage to Chrissy Teigen this month, he wrote her a beautiful song. Not all men can do that. Not all women can either. However, the romantic gesture, the little things that make all the difference have me ruminating as Legend's ballad, “All of Me,” makes its way through ITunes and onto our new IOS7 upgrades. His song got me thinking about some incredible gestures through the years that now make their way into this writing. I will list two that inspire me--there's no...
The Pulp Fiction Briefcase and First Date Rejections
It is impossible to believe that Pulp Fiction is almost twenty years old. Uma was not yet with Ethan, Bruce was with Demi (Ashton was in high school), and Samuel L. Jackson had yet to hook-up with every movie from every genre that has come out of Hollywood since... Pulp Fiction was a non-linear masterpiece. One scene has become the stuff of legend. Try as we might, and 197,000 Google results later, I am still at a loss as to what was in that briefcase. When Travolta (Vincent Vega) opens up that now infamous briefcase and finds himself illuminated by a bright light, Quentin Tarantino left us all wondering, "what's in that thing?" Tarantino dismisses all guesses by denying any meaning at all....
A Lesson from Barry Sanders…The Need for Humility in the Dating World
Last Thursday, I was reminded that football season was upon us because the sounds of Denver reverberated through my home. Peyton Manning put on a spectacle—7 touchdown passes in a single game! However, what stood out in my mind was the premature. . . “celebration” of Denver linebacker Danny Trevathan as he dropped the ball en route to the end zone. This was reminiscent of exactly what Barry Sanders was not. Barry was a Heisman Trophy winner, League MVP, and now a Hall of Famer. Aside from bringing so much joy to the city of Detroit, he is remembered by the rest of us for his enviable humility. No matter how many touchdowns he scored and no matter how...
Howard Stern and E.L. James Should Grab Lunch
This week, the consensus was that the casting for Fifty Shades of Grey was off by about fifty miles. So I find it appropriate to discuss the book because E.L. James’ readers might be disappointed with the film that will follow. Almost a year ago, I listened with some reluctance to Howard Stern as my husband and I drove to the airport. Surprisingly, Stern was not discussing his unit or Robin Quivers’ bosom. Instead, the now almost 60 year old was discussing his wife's observations of Fifty Shades of Grey. Beth Stern remarked that Christian Grey's sexuality and wild proclivities were not what drove her, according to Howard, to keep reading. Rather, it was the attention. Howard spoke at length, and...
TMI…A Wise MM Evaluation
With the first date audition, I am constantly reminded of the Billy Joel lyric that "she only reveals what she wants you to see." We can easily substitute pronouns here; Billy could have used "he" just as easily as "she." We know we are witty, but not that clever. We are polite, but never this chivalrous. We might be careful with our words, but we are not above profanity. We do not show our whole, authentic selves because we are on the audition, the first date. I am constantly struggling to advise clients whether this lack of authenticity is a sign of insecurity or guile at its worst by the other person, but I am convinced that humans are more layered than drinks...
Listen Up Guys: 10 Things You Shouldn’t Do on a Date!
Last week we posted a link to an article by Ashley Twigg about dating don’ts. At the request of one of our Twitter followers, who commented that this list was very “female-focused,” here are 10 things that guys should not do on the first date: (more…)
Dating the Day Time: Why We Say It’s a Don’t
We really enjoyed this article by Danica Lo about dating during the day time. While we do love Ms. Lo's fashion advice on Glamour.com, we respectfully disagree about day time dating. At Wise Matchmaking, we recommend that our clients date after dark. (more…)
How to Have “The Talk”
So you've been reading our blog for a few weeks and you know that communication is key. But you also have taken the time to read your significant other and you are pretty sure that he or she is on the same page. So here it goes - "the talk." Here are some tips from our expert matchmaker, Brooke Wise, to help you get through the discussion smoothly. (more…)