Blind date: “He assumed I used to be over 30. I had enjoyable watching him dig himself out of that gap”

Olivia on Shawn

What had been you hoping for?
A pleasant night with good dialog, or no less than a great story.

First impressions?
Tall, heat and simple to speak to. He was late, however in his protection I had mentioned I’d be late after which I wasn’t.

What had been you speaking about?
Recycling sorting at Glastonbury. The ethical dilemmas of our respective jobs. Canines. Causes to keep away from the ocean. The worth of fine storytelling.

Essentially the most awkward second?
Shawn assumed I used to be over 30, so I had enjoyable watching him attempt to dig himself out of that gap.

Good desk situation?
Impeccably, in fact.

Would you introduce Shawn to your mates?
He looks as if the form of one that can get together with anybody, so why not?

Describe Shawn in three phrases.
Good temper, artistic, curious.

What do you assume Shawn did to you?
Given the matters of dialog I provide you with, I hope he simply thinks I am nuts and never a imply lobbyist who does not recognize podcasts (I take advantage of them to go to sleep).

Blind Date is Saturday’s courting column: each week, two nstrangers are paired up for dinner and drinks, then spill it nto us and reply a set of questions. This runs, with {a photograph} we take of every dater earlier than the date, in Saturday journal (within the UK) and on-line at theguardian.com each Saturday. It has been round since 2009 – you possibly can learn all about how we put it collectively right here.

What questions will I get?
Wen ask about age, location, occupation, hobbies, pursuits and what variety ofn individual you need to meet. For those who do not assume these questions cowl all the pieces you’d wish to know, inform us what you assume.

Can I select who I match with?
No,n it is a blind date! However we do ask you a bit about your pursuits, npreferences, and many others – the extra you inform us, the higher the match is more likely to be.

Can I select the picture?
No, however don’t be concerned: we decide the very best wanting ones.

What private knowledge shall be displayed?
Your first identify, job and age.

How ought to I reply?
Honestlyn however respectfully. Take note of the way it will learn to your date, and thatn Blind date reaches a big viewers, in print and on-line.

Will I see the opposite individual’s response?
No. We might edit yours and theirs for quite a lot of causes, together with size, and we might ask you for extra data.

Will you discover me The One?
We are going to strive! Marriage! Infants!

Can I do it in my hometown?
Provided that it is within the UK. Lots of our candidates stay in London, however we might love to listen to from individuals who stay elsewhere.

Learn how to apply
E-mail blind.date@theguardian.com

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Questions and solutions

Do you need to be on a blind date?

Present

Blind Date is Saturday’s courting column: each week, two strangers are paired up for dinner and drinks, after which they play beans to us and reply a set of questions. This runs, with {a photograph} we take of every dater earlier than the date, in Saturday journal (within the UK) and on-line at theguardian.com each Saturday. It has been round since 2009 – you possibly can learn all about how we put it collectively right here.

What questions will I get?
We ask about age, location, occupation, hobbies, pursuits and how much individual you need to meet. For those who do not assume these questions cowl all the pieces you’d wish to know, tell us what you assume.

Can I select who I match with?
No, it is a blind date! However we do ask you a bit about your pursuits, preferences, and many others – the extra you inform us, the higher the match is more likely to be.

Can I select the picture?
No, however don’t be concerned: we decide the very best wanting ones.

What private knowledge shall be displayed?
Your first identify, job and age.

How ought to I reply?
Trustworthy however respectful. Take note of the way it will learn to your date, and that Blind Date reaches a big viewers, in print and on-line.

Will I see the opposite individual’s response?
No. We might edit yours and theirs for quite a lot of causes, together with size, and we might ask you for extra data.

Will you discover me The One?
We are going to strive! Marriage! Infants!

Can I do it in my hometown?
Provided that it is within the UK. Lots of our candidates stay in London, however we might love to listen to from individuals who stay elsewhere.

Learn how to apply
E-mail blind.date@theguardian.com

Did you go on someplace?
Sure, we discovered this underground metallic membership. Simply kidding. It was a Monday. He adopted me to the bus.

And … did you kiss?
We did not.

For those who might change one factor concerning the night, what wouldn’t it be?
I am more and more regretting my wine-induced rant about Jacob Rees-Mogg, Harry Kane and … parasites. (I actually am a great date.)

Rating out of 10?
Robust 7.9, factors docked as a result of he was late.

Would you meet once more?
Sure, I’d positively have one other drink subsequent time he is in London. However provided that his canine Luna can come too.

Shawn on Olivia

What had been you hoping for?
The prospect to fulfill somebody fantastic after which nonchalantly write about it for 35.6 million individuals to learn.

First impressions?
Pleasant, playful and open-minded.

What had been you speaking about?
What to put on to a Tory get together convention. Warmth pumps. The life-changing properties of aubergines.

Essentially the most awkward second?
I mentioned it was unlucky that she had had a canine named Cosby due to Invoice, just for Olivia to say it was named Crosby.

Good desk situation?
A inexperienced bean escaped my fork as we mentioned what Harry Kane and Jacob Rees-Mogg’s love little one would seem like and whether or not they would have a monocle.

The perfect factor about Olivia?
She embraced probably the most obscure conversational nonsense.

Would you introduce Olivia to your mates?
Completely.

Describe Olivia in three phrases.
Heat, real, assured.

What do you assume Olivia did to you?
I am combating Covid for a very long time, so I principally tried to not seem bored or sleepy.

Did you go on someplace?
We thought of crafting a narrative involving underground thrash metallic.

And … did you kiss?
No, however she nearly took my provide to be licked to dying by my labrador.

For those who might change one factor concerning the night, what wouldn’t it be?
I in all probability might have teased her much less about good and unhealthy lobbyists.

Rating out of 10?
A strong 8. She’s a sweetheart.

Would you meet once more?
It might be enjoyable to hang around subsequent time I am within the Huge Smoke.

Shawn and Olivia ate at Rosa’s Thai, London SE1. Fancy a blind date? E-mail blind.date@theguardian.com