July 12, 2010

Story Time: What Would A Guy (Or Girl) Have To Do To Make You React Like This?


Right off the bat, I can think of four things:
  1. Photographs his food before he eats it
  2. Brags about not owning a television
  3. Gets irritated when I run into people I know when we're out together
  4. Stops and checks his cell phone when we're on the dance floor 
You?

33 comments:

Steve said...

The first one makes no sense. If you happen to be at an amazing restaurant and you want to a picture of the dish, what's wrong with that? It's not like you can make Marc Vetri's food at your house.

Allie Harcharek said...

Funny, my guy does half of those things and I kinda love it.

Anna said...

Um, it makes total sense! Just enjoy the food! He doesn't need to document it so he can share it with his online social networks. It's a total pet peeve.

hexo said...

I've taken pictures of my food on special occasions or on moments when the presentation is really stellar.

Anna said...

I ain't budging on this one. It's lame to take pics of your food. No one cares. Disconnect from the matrix for a sec and just enjoy the dish.

Anna said...

Allie, that's why he's YOUR boyfriend. I'm happy that you dig him.

Erfs said...

I agree with you Anna! It's even worse if the picture is going to be posted on his yelp account. LAME.

typical guy said...

I'm with ya. It doesn't matter what something looks like before ya "feast". Just throw it in a trough! ...Hmmm but I do like my ride shined up before I cruise the block.

Anna said...

Is that a euphemism? Are you drunk?

Anonymous said...

Things to run away from: Someone who frequently refers to themselves as 'an artist' or 'a writer' = usually very insecure and has never gone to college/published anything/made a composition with anything but vintage porn and modge podge.

As far as the food photos, NOT OKAY. -- Unless there's a butter peacock sculpture, or something. Otherwise, never.

Johanna said...

I think it's okay if he cooked it himself and he's proud of it! To me, it makes sense to document anything that's creative and took a bit of effort.

thesimplicity said...

I take pictures of everything I eat, but not because I post them online. It's because I am ridiculously afraid of being poisoned, so if I were to die I want evidence of the last twelve meals I had consumed so the killer could be brought to justice.

So you can add a number five to your list: "neurotic to the point of being frightening."

Ichael said...

For me, I think its cool when people decide to photograph little things in their life like meals or their shoes in the rain or the sky on a pretty day or whatever. Every meal would be annoying, but if someone appreciates the presentation of a particular meal and wants to remember or thinks it is something worth capturing, go for it. Food can be really beautiful.

Things that scare me off:
-scoffing at how poorer people live/work/eat or whatever.
-complain about sports or recreation activities I enjoy (I don't care if you don't like football/whatever, I do, I don't pass judgment on your activities)
-hates all their exes
-and yeah #4 on your list, yikes, wtf?!

MT said...

Calls his mother more than once a day.

Refers to any woman (even exes) as "cunt" "whore" or "dumb bitch" and means it.

Tucks non-dress shirts into his pants.

Reads Ayn Rand.

Anonymous said...

6. Wouldn't party with Steve Guttenberg if given the chance.

Anonymous said...

Anna, I'm with you on taking food-photographs... and especially posting them to any social network.. It's really really really corny.

Anonymous said...

has a hatchet man tattoo

not drunk guy said...

With all the disgruntled ladies on here this post might get out of hand.

john said...

posting pictures of food on facebook or anywhere is ridiculous. No one wants or needs to see your food. eat it, enjoy it, tell me about how good it was!!

Anonymous said...

A dude once asked me if he could take me to dinner to watch me eat...

Anonymous said...

I've had ex's do the following, never again! I will run out the door if a new boy says the following things:
1. I'm a Pisces
2. I live with my ex and can't move out, I can't afford it (or alternate excuse)
3. I don't drink, I'm on anti-depressents

Allie Harcharek said...

Wow, didn't know so many people hated food photos. Guess we're just weird - my boyfriend and I are both food writers and that's part of what initially attracted me to him.

To participate in the list, I hate:
1. Dudes who don't "get" computers/the internet/facebook/social networks
2. Anger issues
3. Bragging about your Ivy League education. I don't really give a fuck you have a PhD until it's in something really cool like dessertology or whatever.

Allison said...

1. Doods who don't understand sarcasm.
2. If he has some stank ass butt breath..DNW.
3. Talks about everything negatively or uses "like" all the time.


p.s. love all your posts Anna <3

Anna said...

Thanks, Allison! <3 right back at 'cha!

Devon said...

Food photos can actually do some good :o)

A bunch of Philly friends built a site called shareURmeal.com - For every photo you share of a meal before taking your first bite, someone else gives $1 to hunger relief. Aside from cool foodies (like Allie and her bo), school kids have been really into paying it forward too. The top poster was a middle school in NJ!

The idea of being grateful for a meal before digging in is pretty solid, and I stand behind it.

There is a 70% increase in demand on hunger relief orgs in some major metro centers like Philly. So anything we can do to help and raise awareness is good.

If taking food photos isn't your thing, maybe you can just go gentle on those of us who are into it :o)

Cheers,
Devon

Anna said...

Devon, that's really cool. Thanks for the info and thanks for taking the time to share it with us.

Perhaps I should've been more clear: it bums me out when I'm on a date with a guy and he stops to take a picture and post it before he digs in. It bums me out because we're out together and he seems more interested in showing his "friends" his meal then enjoying the time with me. Plus, it's lame to watch him care about the Internet while he's on a date.

Shrug.

Michaelangelo said...

1. Technophobes afraid of even so much as using email for fear of losing their identity. Maybe that's an extreme example but on the snobbier side of things: people who insist on having 'buttons' on their phone. Get with the program, dinosaur. Technology and culture are evolving rapidly and it's actually fun, fascinating and just plain cool. Excuse me while I tweet about this from my microwave.
2. Picky eaters. I had a lady friend that pretty much retained her famine-like figure on a diet of cola and chicken fingers. Gross.
3. And on that note, girls who are stuck in some sort of Kate Moss era where they think thin/skinny = better. Sorry but girls who even so much as mention losing weight or wanting to be starved looking don't even enter my radar. Curves = hot. I'm notorious for desiring my women more on the huggable side. Pretty sure I have a subconscious minimum BMI requirement.
4. The non-sarcastic real-life versions of women like this YouTube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYpwAtnywTk


And on the note about taking pictures of food... sorry I've been crazy about this for a very long time. I grew up on loving basically anything my parents *didn't* make. I swapped time between The Frugal Gourmet and Yan Can Cook with Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood and Sesame Street while growing up.

In later years and the advent of smarter and smarter phones, I've been one of those people who'd post about food on every platform with pictures. I've gotten into even cooking sometimes and writing about it a whole lot. I'm an avid Yelper and food photography combines my love of eating, art (on a plate) and gadgetry/photography.

Haters can hate it, but now with the advent of say shareURmeal.com - I have very little reason to stop or slow down yet I need to up the ante. People who love food and sharing about it enhance peoples perceptions, ideas on dining, cuisine and even culture.

Also, posting pictures of food to say shareURmeal has raised over $14,000 (and growing) to local hunger relief than hating on it ever will.

Haters gonna hate as the old adage goes. Regardless, I get Anna's point as always. <3 THE WOUNDS JUST RUN DEEP.

Unknown said...

Taking photos of a hot dog and french fries.. or a cheese steak..is incredibly corny / tacky.

Taking photos of a work of art, something you paid a substantial amount of money for, painstakingly crafted by some of the finest chefs in the industry.... is completely fine... especially if it only takes 10 seconds to do so on a smartphone.

I do it to remember the moment, the decor, the food, and pretty much everything else about a special night out with the person I enjoy being with all the time.

Food is a big deal, and those of us who are fortunate enough to be able to pay for luxuries like a fine meal are simply expressing our appreciation for the craftsmanship.

Not to mention.. if you get all bent out of shape because a guy stopped paying attention to you for 10 seconds... please. I don't need to elaborate on who's attitude/expectations needs an adjustment in this case.

Anna said...

Here's the thing, Tim, it's not that he's taking a picture for his own personal collection of food photos to be printed out and hung up in his study. He is taking it to show his Internet friends WHICH IS DORKY!

I wouldn't tweet about our date while we're on it. I wouldn't do a facebook status update about what I'm doing with him. You know why? Because it's private! It's weird enough that people I don't know can be clued into where we are if he chooses to update his Foursquare, but for everyone to know what we're eating is just weird. Why doesn't he just invite his social network out to dinner with us while he's at it?

I'm not talking about food bloggers who do this for their livelihood or guys who do this when they're out with their friends. When he's out on a date with me, I would expect gadgets to be put away and him to act like a big boy and just put the camera down.

Anonymous said...

Most cringe-worthy thread ever. First, I never knew people took pictures of their food. Second, I'm stunned that there are enough people who do this out there to defend the practice here.

Ichael said...

Now that you've clarified what you meant about the food photo thing I agree that it'd be annoying and weird under those circumstances. You're on your date to enjoy each other's company. Unless the photo is directly tied to your existence together or for a topic of conversation to share, it is rude.

Anonymous said...

i understand all parties involved here, and they all make valid points. my only thing is hes just being him and having a good time. and it is dorky to be in the matrix when u have good company. however if thats him being him at least he keeps it real for you to know from the gate that he is ur biggest pet peeve so keep it social and find a polite exit when you can. would you rather hide the fact that hes not on your level of perfection and then find out way too late right when you thought you had a good thing going? now days i believe it doesnt come down to what kind of person you find cause no ones perfect including you! it comes down to finding someone real and if you guys can make it together. and if something a trivial as pics, social network, eating habits, whatever your issue is that big of a deal to you, he has just as much right to say you are his pet peeve. i love this blog and the idea and the concept. i am a single male myself, never married, no kids, decent job, and very intelligent, clean cut and pretty healthy with a shirt off. i got alot going for me now and pay attention to this stuff quite a bit. my point is all i ever see is things about what went wrong, what mistake was made, what doesnt work etc. all key pieces of information. my question at this point would be what does work what is the right move? cause your pet peeve might be what she loves, and what she hates might be what you love. women change and most dont know what they want. they tell you a million things if you ask but when you conquer the million it changes again and it gets to the point hey this is life not a disney movie whats really important to you? making excuses and nitpicking everything to death or enjoying with someone who enjoys you including your mistakes that our my peeves as well. cause when we met at no point did i ever even hint that i was perfect. why didnt you come out and say upfront i demand perfect? just a question value your opinion i think... curious your thoughts

Anonymous said...

I agree, taking photos of your meal is inappropriate on a date. Do it when you are working at your food journalism job, not on a date.

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