It's Just Lunch :: The Dating Tips Blog

Best Places to Watch the Super Bowl for Singles

The Super Bowl is making headlines everywhere, whether it's the teams who are playing or the anticipated commericals we'll be watching. The Super Bowl is one of those occasions singles everywhere can enjoy regardless of how they feel about football or the teams they will be rooting for. Where will you be watching the Super Bowl this year?

In a recent survey, It's Just Lunch discovered that while both men and women agree on first dates on Super Bowl being a huge no-no, the genders seem to disagree as to where and how they prefer watching the Super Bowl. An overwhelming 53% of men compared to 32% of women prefer watching the biggest football game of the year at home while 53% of women compared to 38% of men said they would rather watch the championship at a Super Bowl party. It's no surprise considering most men probably don't want to be bothered with idle chatter as they absorb themselves in the game. On the contrary, women are by nature more social creatures, so they prefer the social interactions that are most likely found at a Super Bowl party where there tend to be lots of people and lots of chatter. Not surprisingly, most women watch the game for the commercials and the half-time show (both of which are topics for conversations) while most men watch the game mostly for the game itself. 

The best places to watch the Super Bowl for singles may depend on your gender, but it mostly depends on how absorbed you want to be in the game. There are actually a handful of women in the singles community that don't mind watching the game, prefering it even over Valentine's Day as one It's Just Lunch Facebook fan commented on a recent post about the Super Bowl. If you prefer not to be interrupted, you may want to consider staying home to watch the game with a few good friends. If, however, you're watching the Super Bowl strictly for social purposes, then your best bet is to score an invite to a Super Bowl party where you be as social as you want to be in between commericals, or the game. 

Follow It's Just Lunch on Facebook and tell us-- What is your favorite thing about the Super Bowl?

Notre Dame’s Manti Te’o Catfishing Sham Reminds Singles to Be Vigilant Daters

Unless you’ve been cooped up in your office with no access to public media, surely you have heard about how Notre Dame’s linebacker Manti Te’o got duped into a fake online relationship in what everyone is calling a “catfishing” sham. As it turns out, Lennay Kekua never died of leukemia nor did she ever exist outside of cyberspace.

What is Catfishing?

The term has arisen in the sports world in the wake of the Manti Te’o dead-girlfriend hoax, which quickly went viral once the truth was exposed. It’s a term that was coined by a 2010 documentary called “Catfish” following the pseudo relationship between 24-year-old Yaniv Shulman and bored housewife Angela Wesselman, who fabricated her identify as 19-year-old Megan Faccio using pictures of another woman by the name of Adriana Gonzales. After a quote from Wesselman’s husband, Vince Pierce, about catfish, the term became an expression for falsifying one’s persona to carry out a fake relationship without ever really meeting in person.

Simple Tips for Avoiding Fake Relationships

Make plans to meet. If someone doesn’t want to meet with you, always flakes at the last minute and is constantly making excuses why they can’t meet, then you should save your time and energy for someone who actually gives you the time of day in the flesh.

Set up a Skype date. If distance is factor, then your online date should have no problem conversing with you via Skype. It’s all too easy for someone to post a fake photo of themselves and lie via text or phone. Be wary of someone who refuses to Skype with you no matter how good their excuse might be.

Look for red flags. If it’s too good to be true, then it probably is. Common red flags to look for include stories that don’t add up, foreign origins, and overtly romantic comments expressing any kind of emotionally forwardness. Real love and chemistry happens in the flesh, and face to face.

Do your research. Become a fact-checker. Google their name. Look them on social media in case you share a mutual friend who can vouch for them. Verify their information to make sure stories add up. If it makes you feel comfortable, conduct a background search just as you would before hiring a new employee.

Have you ever been the victim of "catfishing"? Meet It's Just Lunch Matchmaker Stephanie Kluver who did a fantastic job representing our company in a FOX TV segment where she expressed how important it is to meet in person and face-to-face.

KMSP-TV

Do you think Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o was really drawn into a fake online relationship, or do you think it was a publicity stunt sportswriters bought into full-heartedly?

Dating Myths Survey

The new It's Just Lunch survey is now available!  Weigh in and let us know what you think about common dating myths.

Political Crossroads

Many relationships, especially new dating relationships don't find themselves aligned on the same road trip. So is this an opportunity to explore a dynamic adventure and enjoy for the long-term? Or just a week-end getaway towards an inevitable break-down.

This question was in the forefront of our minds when we created our latest It's Just Lunch® survey (which is causing quite a stir out there in red and blue states alike). 

56% of men believed that dating someone who has opposite political opinions might not make for a good long-term relationship, but it could create some fantastic passion.

56% of women disagreed. The survey revealed that women wanted to explore the differences and understand how men came to align with certain political opinions. Men on the other-hand, found the differences a green light to pursue a dating relationship-but were not interested in why women held a particular political stance. 

So where does this leave the future dating state of political opposites? Stay tuned. 

To read more of the yahoo article on our dating survey, click here. 

If You Don’t Have a Job, At Least Have a Plan

So what if you’re unemployed? In the economy, it’s a common theme—even among professionals. Well, we have good news and bad news:

The bad news first. While about 65% of men surveyed by It’s Just Lunch said they would have no problem going out on a date with a woman who was unemployed, women were far less amenable to the idea, with only 25% saying they would go out on a date with an unemployed man. In fact, 33% of women said they would rule out a date entirely with a guy who is unemployed, compared to only 8% of men.

As we mentioned before, both our male and female respondents suggest we still tend to seek more traditional roles, even when it’s being set up for a first date. Men don’t mind providing to a woman who is out of work, but women seek men who have the ability to do some of the providing—at least an equal share of it. Here’s where the good news comes in. About 42% of women said they would consider a date with an unemployed man, as long as he had a plan for getting back on track.

What’s the key? Unemployment shouldn’t disqualify you from dating, but remember to focus on your own life too. The dating market isn’t as tough as the job market, but for both—having a plan is the difference between finding a successful match and being left out in the cold.