There are no girls in San Francisco....or are there?

As one of my favorite blogs to peruse when surfing the net for updates on Tiger's progress, upcoming concerts and shows, and now job and academic opportunities, Why There Are No Girls in San Francisco never fails to draw a few laughs and agreed upon epiphanies. I visit the assertive site once every so often to further remind myself not to take the dynamics between men and women too seriously.

The day I got back from snowboarding with a special someone in Tahoe, I had to drop off the rental SUV close to Union Square and head back to Pac Heights to move my parent's old Mercedes in order to prevent getting a $53 parking ticket. (Yes, the price has gone up in the city - they get us again.) As I stood on the sidewalk trying to flag a taxi, I noticed the light changed and a yellow cab came flying at me from across the street. I opened the door, and the driver did a quick clean of the backseat so I had room to sit. He looked back at me, smiled, and said "Hi, how are you today?" Oh cool, a friendly driver - I love these guys! I told him how my day was going and how tired I was from the weekend and from the trip I had taken. We started talking about the countries I had visited, and he asked me all of the usual questions I'd heard from friends and family over the last week. I asked him where he was from (turns out he is from Jordan), found out that he had only started driving recently because it allowed him to bring in a higher income than his previous job, he was in his thirties, and that he is now into Asian girls. Wait, rewind...how did I come to know about his little fetish, you ask?

Rami: Wait, before you get out of car, I need to tell you something.
Me: Okay...
Rami: I just had conversation with my sister not long ago. I tell her - I am sick of other women. I need to find myself Asian girlfriend.
Me: (Laughing) Ha, why's that?
Rami: The other women, they are so....these days. If I find Asian girl to date - they treat me good, they respect me. I think this is what I need.
Me: But what if they aren't all like that? You know, many Asian girls are more modern now and you might be surprised if you meet one that will make you think you are dating an American. What if that happens - won't you be disappointed if you go looking for just one type of woman?
Rami: No, I don't think so. I used to have Korean girlfriend. We were for 1 year. It didn't last, but she was so good to me. That's why from now on, I date Asian girl. When I first saw you standing there, I said to myself, no one is going to drive her home but me. That's why I drove so fast to pick you up. I give you my number so we can go on date. If you ever want to smoke a joint, just call me.
Winnie: (Mortified, but still laughing) Um, okay. Thank you. Have a great day, Rami.

Has the dating scene in San Francisco gotten so stale that cab drivers are now asking their passengers out on dates? I can never decide whether this city is most ideal for singles or people in relationships. I guess it doesn't have to be one way or the other. Many people never want to leave this 7x7 nook because it's likely that it accommodates both sides of the spectrum. Having been both single and in relationships within the last 3 years, I don't recall having complained about the lack of quality men nor the variety of venues in which to meet them in the city. So why is it that the author of the blog, Rami, and many of my single male friends are always griping about how there aren't any cool girls around, and if there are, they're usually taken? I think we all need to stop being so picky. I mean - never, never, ever settle for less than you deserve. But really, I think we need to start giving people 2nd chances. There have been multiple times where I've met a guy on a first date and just didn't feel any sparks. What if we went out for a second date? Would the first date nerves have gone away and would the other person's true personality come through? Who knows? I won't because I didn't go on that second date.

Next time you meet someone of the opposite sex, don't write them off so quickly. You never know what they could mean to you in the future.