What does JAM have to do with DATING?

Have you heard of the Harvard Business School jam study? You haven't? Well, I'll walk you through it.

Pretend  you're at Costco on a Saturday, you're waiting in line for a sample. Today they're sampling gourmet jams. With 18 flavors to sample, you're feeling overwhelmed. Which jam should I sample?  and the ever-looming question: Which jam should I buy?

So, you start sampling. You try half of the jams, or if you're a real trooper, you make it through all of them. By the end you're full of whole-wheat bread and super-sweet fruit jam--your palate has been bombarded by various tastes and you're feeling more confused than you were before the sampling, so you leave the store without buying any jam.

Now, at another Costco store, maybe a couple of cities over, they are sampling jams as well. But the hairnet-clad lady only put out 6 jams for sampling. While she's telling you about the hand-picked boysenberries that went into making the jam you're about to taste, you are already narrowing down your choice: you know that you've always loved strawberry, but you're intrigued by the orange&apricot jam.

You try all 6 flavors, and the decision is easy. Good old strawberry it is. You purchase your jam and happily head for home.

But here's the catch: if you were picking out jam for your aunt's birthday gift, it wouldn't really matter what flavor of jam you chose, right? But you're not choosing  jam for Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon (if you were I'd suggest getting the 'Hellish' Jalapeno" flavor). You're choosing jam for YOU.

What does this have to do with dating? Well, it's an analogy. Just like the customers at the 18-sample store, if you have too many dating options you may decide that being single and "dating around" is more fun and easier than choosing just one flavor. But what you might not realize is... you'll be eating dry toast the next morning. Dry. Toast. *cringe*

So, don't give  yourself so many options! Narrow it down. Narrow. It. Down. If you try and taste-test all of the jams you'll:
a) be unable to choose
b) get confused
c) feel sick because of all the flavors churning in your stomach or because you had too much sugar
d) decide you hate jam after all
e) all of the above

Don't try and date everyone in the whole world, it's fruitless. It'll leave you feeling empty and all you'll have to show for it is bunch of shallow relationships and a stomach ache.

So, try a FEW. Take the time to really taste the flavor, it'll be easier to choose your favorite. :) 

Just remember, you are a piece of bread; there are LOTS of jam flavors that could taste good with you; it's just a matter of deciding which flavor compliments you best.

Happy jamming,

Lady L.

P.S. I love apricot jam.