10 Tips to Know Before Dating a Female Journalist
ESPN reporter, Erin Andrews.
Check out my post on Good Day Sacramento CBS 13: http://gooddaysacramento.cbslocal.com/video/8216930-manly-minute-truth-about-dating-journalists/
Journalists are a completely different breed than the rest of the population, so you should know exactly what you’re getting into before making a move on one. Here are some tips to help you decide if you can handle being with these females:
1. Female journalists are ballsy. We’re not afraid to tell it like it is because it’s our job. Honesty is the number one characteristic of a talented and successful writer, therefore, that straightforwardness will be projected to you every day. If we don’t like what you’re doing or how you’re treating us, we will immediately notify you…and probably without a filter. If you prefer a woman who tap dances around situations then don’t date a journalist.
We take risks and aren’t afraid of anything-especially you. We are not naive, we are free-spirited, tough individuals who seek challenges. We enjoy going into situations we are not “supposed” to be in or situations that would require other people to ingest four Xanax prior.We can wing it and you will never have to prepare us. We prefer excitement and delving into new experiences without much thought. Mastering uncharted territory? Sign us up. This is our blessing and our curse.
2. Stay out of our way. Never try to hold us back from doing anything because we will leave you in our dust with no regrets. We believe we can change the world with what we’re doing, so don’t waste your energy trying to convince us otherwise. Our ambition is far stronger than your gym rat arms yanking us back. What you tell us to do, we will do the opposite. If you tell us not to go somewhere, we will absolutely go there. You might as well have a seat because you will lose this argument. We meet lots of people every day, every where we go. You are not special and can be replaced. Confused? Check out Beyonce’s “Irreplaceable” lyrics.
3. We are social creatures. We are colorful, cheerful, confident butterflies that will land wherever we please. We will chat up any individual that comes our way because every person is important-no matter how bizarre. They were put here for a reason and our curiosity is immediately piqued by their strange behavior. Any person could be a possible interview or a networking connection somewhere in the future…or it could just be an interesting chat with a unique individual.
That being said, we are entertaining. Don’t hire a comedian at your next party, bring a journalist. We have a zest for life that others do not. We recognize the value of life and how short it can be because we read the headlines. We live every day like it is our last. If you don’t, we suggest you check out the local crime section of your daily paper. Better yet, try the obituaries for a killer reality check-no pun intended.
4. Business is ongoing. Our day never ends and our networking is continuous. Don’t be surprised if our dinner plans get shut down because journalism never sleeps. Food will always be around, but the news changes every second. That particular interview we finagled could be a once in a lifetime opportunity and you will take a back seat. We take chances and have a mindset that some opportunities only come around once.
It’s not that we don’t think you’re important, it’s that what we do is quite important. Let’s face it, without the news, nobody would know what the hell is going on.
5. We aren’t stupid. We’re used to being on edge and thinking on our feet, so we converse well. If you want to banter, bring it-we are masters at this. We have a deep opinion regarding every topic you bring up and there are probably lots of layers or examples to back up our answer. We are taught to provide proof in our work, so you will always have factual information.
We are not typical women who know the basics of current events or are dumb broads you meet at your local watering hole. Most of us are witty because we have seen and read it all. Nothing surprises us about humanity anymore, therefore we have to be lighthearted about it. People are screwed up and we know it…why not crack some jokes about it? Life is short. If you don’t have a sense of a humor, you will not last with a journalist. We are skilled at interviews, so we can smell BS from a mile away…don’t bother.
6. We will photograph everything. We are social media experts and will inform our avid followers often on what’s happening around us. We love feedback because we enjoy conversation, so we will post photos, tweet, and “check in” whenever we please. In layman’s terms, if it’s a noun (aka: person, place or thing), it will be recorded or preserved. A picture is worth a thousand words and our computers contain several thousand plus video footage. If you don’t enjoy having your picture taken, you will learn to enjoy it or choose to hit the pavement.
We are technology nerds, but are attractive and stylish. We have i-pads, i-phones, Droids, MACs, tablets, nooks and whatever else we can receive media on. We can also multi-task on several of these items at once.
7. We hate your spelling errors. Make sure you switch the Autocorrect setting to “ON” for your text messages because we will rip you a new one if you have a grammar or punctuation error. It is a huge pet peeve considering you graduated high school. This is expected of you.
The majority of us are perfectionists which is why so many copy editors across the world are women. You think we’re hard on you? We’re ten times harder on ourselves. If we do something wrong, you can guarantee we will kick ourselves for it for days (even weeks or months), so please don’t harp on us. We do a good enough job on our own.
8. We remember your words. Choose your words wisely because they will never be forgotten no matter how many times you apologize. We are programmed to retain events or large amounts of information to create a thorough, concise follow-up story. Nobody is perfect (not even us), but we hold you to a higher standard than other women.
We learn fast, so if you have an issue with us, we hear you and will attempt to fix it ASAP. When things are in chaos or disarray, we can’t function properly. We are amazing listeners and marinate on every word you say. On the downside, we can handle your criticism-but we can also dish it. Be prepared and fasten your seatbelt.
9. We are trustworthy. We have a duty to report unbiased information, which is a task since we are very opinionated people. We are the most trustworthy, dependable, responsible, driven types of women you have ever seen. It will take a lot for us to trust you, but when we do, we would never do you harm. We want what’s best for everyone around us, including the bum on the street digging through the trash can. We will help anyone in need if we can. If you’re not a humanitarian or you are only looking out for “numero uno,” go home.
10. We will write about you. This is not a threat, but we can’t guarantee it will always be positive. You could be a character or part of a non-fiction story. This means you are interesting-congratulations.
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