Online dating - through (my) history

Yesterday I was browsing Boston.com and came across this tease for "Dinner with Cupid." It looks like The Boston Globe Magazine is going to start a new column where people apply to be set up on a blind dates by the Magazine staff, the couple goes out, and then shares their impressions/experience with a reporter who writes about it.

I think this is going to be a great column. Personally, I can't get enough of dating stories.

When I worked at Boston.com (quite a few years now), I used to run the Boston.com Personals. I think I learned more from running that project than anything else I've ever worked on. My background at the time was mostly editorial/production, so it was a great experience to work on a project that actually generated revenue! We ran a bunch of great contests (remember Boston.com's Best Catch, anyone? Or Boston.Hotties?) and threw HUGE parties on The Odyssey. I loved meeting the readers of our website in person. I'm a huge believer in using online technologies to bring people together offline.

The best reader "feedback" I ever received was when I was covering the Santa Speedo Run (a whole other story!) and bumped into a couple who met through the Boston.com Personals and planned to get married. I believe Rena and Dave have a baby now.

Back in the day at Boston.com we also ran a contest called "The HookUp" where Boston.com Personals members pitched themselves to be set up on a blind date. We put up polls and Boston.com readers picked which folks should be set up with each other. Once the votes were cast, the winning couples met for the first time at the designated swanky restaurant.

What was my role in all of this? In addition to posting the polls and photo galleries, I actually CHAPERONED all the couples and took photos of them on their dates. It was fun meeting all the nice folks in person, but man it was also humbling to be very single (me) and be tagging along on someone else's date.

Speaking of online dating, I just came across this article on TechCrunch about how free dating sites are giving the paid sites "a run for their money."

The online personals space certainly has changed over the years and I've enjoyed being a part of it.

Inspirational women's cancers research

I went to a Dana-Farber Women's Cancers fundraiser this morning. Learning about the variety of research projects focusing on breast and ovarian cancer really energized me.

I was thrilled to discover that Dr. David Frank is now spending part of his time on ovarian cancer research.

Dr. Frank has been a hero to my family for many years. He took care of my Grammie Lavidor for long time and also helped my Bobie Berman through her too brief battle with colon cancer. He is such a kind man.

I was also able to catch up with Dr. Matulonis, who took care of my mom. I really miss talking to her! I know it sounds a little bizarre, but when my mom was a healthy patient we both really enjoyed hanging out with her.

Dr. Matulonis is pushing so hard on ovarian cancer research and treatments. I feel like the public's general awareness of ovarian cancer - and treatment options - has grown leaps and bounds in the nearly four years since my mom died.

Knowing that Dr. Matulonis, Dr. Frank and so many others are on the case to finding a cure is comforting.

'It's not like when I'm 30 ....'

I hobbled into Anna's yesterday afternoon for a burrito and there was a huge line at 2:15 in the afternoon. I stood behind a teenage girl and her dad, who looked *just like* Gerard Depardieu. Big guy, crazy hair, the whole thing.

What else to do but evesdrop, right? They were very affectionate with each other, making me feel sentimental, until the girl said, "It's not like when I'm 30 and I won't care what I look like."

Oy.

Back pain

Here it is, President's Day Weekend, and I'm planning on spending it horizontal. I hurt my back in November and the pain keeps flaring up. I spend a good portion of each day flat on my back, watching Oprah.

I consider myself *very* health care savvy but have no idea which direction I should be headed in regarding physical therapy. I talked to one doctor at the New England Baptist hospital and she's recommending a very aggresive PT program in Chestnut Hill. Then I went to an osteopath in Arlington and he said I need to heal first and should do a more gradual progressive therapy program and recommends Spaulding PT in Medford. When I asked doc #1 about going to Spaulding instead of Chestnut Hill, she actually said it would be a waste of time!

What to do... What to do... Any ideas out there?