"There are three possible parts to a date, of which at least two must be offered: entertainment, food, and affection. It is customary to begin a series of dates with a great deal of entertainment, a moderate amount of food, and the merest suggestion of affection. As the amount of affection increases, the entertainment can be reduced proportionately. When the affection is the entertainment, we no longer call it dating. Under no circumstances can the food be omitted." (Martin, Judith. Miss Manners' Guide to Excruciatingly Correct Behavior. New York: Warner Books, Inc., 1982)
Posted by apelles at July 23, 2003 03:35 PMnot that i'm qualified whatsoever to comment on this subject... :)
but...
i thought the bit about the food was hilarious.
Posted by: joy at July 23, 2003 05:12 PMOK Morris, why were you reading this book? I can only hope it was for your future children's sake.
Posted by: Michael Whitcomb at July 25, 2003 01:26 PMnah. i don't know much, but i do know that you can never be too married to go out on a date. such is the case with david and cathy, i imagine. and the rule about never omitting food still applies as long as budgeting accommodates.
Posted by: joy at July 25, 2003 02:16 PMactually, it was from something cathy was editing at the Press. but you're right, joy. dating's a lot different married, but it's still important.
(different because when we were dating, that was the big event. for most people, a date would be when they spend the most time together. when you're married, though, you have that whole time together thing other ways, so a date isn't as big of a deal in that way. but it's still important.)