Journal: Speed Dating

We live in hard times for love and in an era of discard sort of relationships. All this implies a new way of loving, for which new methodologies seem to be necessary. There's no more room for romanticism but there's enough space for ephemeral meetings. And a real proof of this is the new love game called "Speed Dating". The aim of it is to make easier the way in which people meet and and to cope with the difficulties that actually, this task is showing.
The speed dating has it origins in the relationships that grow up from chatting in the Internet and seems to be a way of looking for a lover without being involved in too much troubles or histerical attitudes. The way of playing the game is quite easy. People who is interested on participating register on a web page. Days after they receive an e-mail which details a locattion, generalyl a bar, and a day and time for a date. Following these directions, ten men and ten women are called to participate. In the bar they have only 8 minutes to talk directly and privately with each other participant of the opposite sex. They are supposed to follow the natural rutine of meeting somebody for the first time, which includes to intoduce themselves and to open a conversation with some questions. Among them, asking for age, profession and the reasons for participating in Speed Dating are the typical ones. All the chatiing must be done before a bell rings announcing the switching to the next table where the next particiant wates.
Behind all this procedure, there's is said to be a scientific basis, which assures that every person needs only a few minutes to come up with a decision about who is in front of them. This means that people can realize if the person they are talking to is a potential lover, a possible friend or just somebody else in the world, more quickly than it is belived.
After finishing the Speed Dating with every other particiant, they are all asked to fill in a file with the first impression they get of their dates. They choose between the prhases "without afinity", "friendship", and "love at first sight", to refer to every one to whom they speak.
If there's any coincidence between what the participants choose, the game organizers let them know, and it is then when love really appears. The ones who benefit from the game have to decide, after the coincidence, if they will continue dating or not. And the decision comes up after what the first impression of the other person leaves on them. To feel connected to somebody else from the very beginnig is basic to the succes of any relationship. This is part of the escence of love. And in the end of the game this escence appears. Just when the situation has to be solved by two, face to face, alone. They have to decide wether they answer to love calling, or they just leave and wait for tthe next time.