Blind Date Challenge
Chemical reaction: It takes more than molecules
Published on Mar 2nd, 2006
0 comments The background   When Joshua,* a UVA fourth-year majoring in biology and chemical engineering, signed up for the BDC last December, Matchmaker knew she had her work cut out for her. Not that...
Zzz rated: Date starts huggish, goes sluggish
Published on Feb 16th, 2006
0 comments The background   Blind dates are always a gamble, but the stakes are even higher this time of year. After all, no one wants to take a chance on love, lose, and then have to confront those rose...
Friendly persuasion: Being pushed into the Challenge
Published on Feb 2nd, 2006
0 comments   The background  Matchmaker understands that taking the initiative to sign up for the Blind Date Challenge can be, well, challenging. That's why she is so appreciative of the friends of...
Biker and babe: Revving up Main Street
Published on Jan 5th, 2006
0 comments When you get to a certain age, sometimes the effort of dating can seem more trouble than it's worth. That seemed to be Julia's* assessment. The 34-year-old journalist, single mother, and self-...
Sweater feathers?: Not so much to say
Published on Dec 15th, 2005
0 comments The background  Some people enter the Blind Date Challenge offering a virtual autobiography to help Matchmaker do her magic. "I have an argyle sock fetish, and once, when I was three, I fell...
Lost list: What were we thinking?
Published on Dec 1st, 2005
0 comments The background  Matchmaker has to hand it to her contestants. Participating in the Challenge can be a nerve-wrecking, lip-chewing, nail-biting experience. It can take gall, nerves, guts, and...
Liberal love: Greenies go wild
Published on Nov 17th, 2005
0 comments The background  Matchmaker would like to introduce her readers to Dave, a 25-year-old UVA grad student with a penchant for traveling, the great outdoors, and liberalism. "I'm not too picky...
Bulldog blues: Joking Mad' grads will be friends
Published on Nov 3rd, 2005
0 comments As soon as Matchmaker heard about Gary and Lori, she knew they were a match just waiting to happen. These two 30somethings both have an interest in the social sciences: Lori has her BS in psychology...
Moo'd music: Country kids hit the town
Published on Oct 20th, 2005
0 comments Matchmaker understands that for 'Hoos of the female variety, dating can be difficult because of, well, the 'Hoos of the male variety. We listened with a sympathetic ear as Christa, a fourth-year...
Different worlds: How do you define 'chemistry'?
Published on Oct 6th, 2005
0 comments Matchmaker won't deny it; she's always had a soft spot for romantics. So when a 25-year-old someone we'll call Jeffrey emailed her in search of a companion "ready for a committed relationship," she...
Second chance: Neither wild nor green
Published on Sep 8th, 2005
0 comments False starts, awkward moments, near misses. These are all possibilities with a blind date, and one of this week's contenders experienced all of the above– before the date even began! Mitchell,...
Smashing taboos: Professor meets student
Published on Jul 28th, 2005
0 comments The background   There's nothing quite as titillating as the illicit, and Matchmaker delights in pushing the envelope. So when the chance to set up a professor and a student arose, it was a no-...
Flashback: Where are they now?
Published on Jul 14th, 2005
0 comments They come in flocks, singles looking for mates, hoping the Blind Date Challenge will help their wistful dreams materialize. Under the watchful gaze of thousands of readers, Matchmaker pairs them up,...
Snappy patter: Photog and local mom click!
Published on Jun 30th, 2005
0 comments The background  To all childless singles complaining about the Charlottesville dating scene, take note: it could be even harder. If you think it's tough when it's just you, imagine the...
Sip away: They toasted, then were toasted
Published on Jun 16th, 2005
0 comments The life of a journalist can be a lonely one. Secret sources must be taken to the grave; late-night assignments separate the intrepid reporter from his loved ones. So when Matchmaker heard from a 24-...
Just hive fun! A few bumps don't ruin a date
Published on May 19th, 2005
0 comments The Background A month or so ago, David, a 32-year-old financial consultant and writer, entered the Blind Date Challenge and won hearts all over town with his "squat thrust" preparation– you...
THE BLIND DATE CHALLENGE- Brush off: Dog lovers bark up wrong trees
Published on May 5th, 2005
0 comments <P><B>The background <P></B>Dating may get harder by the year in Charlottesville, with many women over 40 claiming a total dearth of eligible single men (who aren't still...
Brush off: Dog lovers bark up wrong trees
Published on May 5th, 2005
0 comments The background Dating may get harder by the year in Charlottesville, with many women over 40 claiming a total dearth of eligible single men (who aren't still looking for breeders), but it's not easy...
Squatters: Athletic types parry and thrust
Published on Apr 7th, 2005
0 comments   The background When David entered the Blind Date Challenge, he bemoaned his "dreadful nervousness." But he didn't let it stop him from diving right in. A recent transplant from DC, the 32-...
Praise the Lord! Christians hit the town
Published on Mar 24th, 2005
0 comments The background  What does the nature of the people who apply for its blind dating column tell you about a town? In liberal Charlottesville, people rarely make specific requests about religious...
Simmering: Fun spices up Crozet date
Published on Mar 10th, 2005
0 comments When Eric entered the Challenge, Matchmaker had a funny feeling he just might be a catch. A ski-buff who owns a catering business, Eric has wide ranging interests, including hiking, biking, and...
On air: Tune out, turn off, drop out...
Published on Feb 24th, 2005
0 comments The background  A blind date is always a little nerve-racking– and that's when it's a private affair. But how about meeting your date for the first time on live radio? That's just what...
Apple polishing: No seeds of love for NYC'ers
Published on Feb 10th, 2005
0 comments Take a deep whiff. Can you smell it? It's love in the air! With Valentine's Day just around the corner, love is on many people's minds. This week's challengers were no exception. Dan, a 28-year-old...
Revealed: What happened <I>after</I> the date?
Published on Jan 20th, 2005
0 comments   Dozens of local singles have taken the Blind Date Challenge, and their stories are always amusing. Sometimes they bicker; sometimes they're bored, and sometimes sparks fly. But the story's not...
Graphic details: Artsy types hit the town
Published on Jan 6th, 2005
0 comments   The background If anyone can have an easy time dating in insular Charlottesville, it should be 20-somethings. With nearly 20,000 students, most unmarried, UVA is a hotbed of smart young...
Yes, you can! Love may be around the corner...
Published on Dec 2nd, 2004
0 comments Hey, you! Yeah, you know who you are. You're one of those single folks out there who reads the Blind Date Challenge but just couldn't possibly enter yourself. Well, Matchmaker has three words for you...
Small town: Second time's the charm
Published on Nov 18th, 2004
0 comments The Background  Has anyone else noticed that Charlottesville's a small town? Forget six degrees of separation– try two, or sometimes even one. Matchmaker learned that lesson again several...
Minority report: Hokies in Hoo'ville
Published on Nov 4th, 2004
0 comments   The background   In recent weeks, Matchmaker has set people up for a variety of reasons: They were both liberal. They were both conservative. They were both extra tall. They both spent...
Cue violins: Bridges of Albemarle County?
Published on Oct 21st, 2004
0 comments The Background  This week, readers may want to hire violinists to play while the story of Jacques and Amelie (not their real names) unfolds, as the potential for heartbreak is high. We begin...
Fleshed out: Adventures in veggie dating
Published on Oct 7th, 2004
0 comments The Background  The single world can be a real meat market, but not for this week's challengers. Toby, a 27-year-old self-described environmental activist, is a vegan who loves gardening and...