Lessons I Learned While Dating

First House of Joy reflects on the realization that an old boyfriend is also a blogger.

Then A Whispering Soul wonders about crazy things people do for love.

Next Soccer Dad writes about the magic of a stuffed animal--and my prediction at the time. (see comments)

Everyone has a story (or more) to tell. Here's some things I learned while dating the woman who would become my wife:

1. The Shadchan who set us up was her Rabbi...and my former chevrusa.

Lesson #1: It always pays to have a good chevrusa--you never know how it will pay off later on down the line.

2. Because she lived in Cincinnati and I lived in New York, we 'dated' a lot on the phone. On our first date, I learned with her the daf I was teaching my 6th grade Gemara class the next day.

Lesson #2: When dating, it pays to try something different.

3. On our next phone date we did a New York Times crossword puzzle together instead.

Lesson #3: When dating, it pays to try something different--but don't overdo it.

4. When she came to New York for the first time (ever), she was amazed at how beautiful New York City looked at night from the sky. When I took her by car to where she would be staying, I got lost in Harlem.

Lesson #4: Given the choice between breaking the man's code of never asking for directions or ruining the evening (and possibly putting yourselves in danger), men are allowed to break the code.

5. We got engaged on Purim while in Cincinnati. We told the shadchan at the seudah at the shul where he is the Rav, and he announced it to everyone there. Everyone burst out laughing and refused to believe him. He had to announce it a second time on Shabbos before people realized he was not kidding.

Lesson #5: The Rabbi's believability in the eye's of his congregants decreases in direct proportion to the size of the Mickey Mouse nose he is wearing at the time.

Go figure.