Love is a Battlefield

Rant of the day: the dating world is scary.  Trust me; I know from personal experience.  I once went on a blind date with a boy who wore no undershirt under his white button-down in hot GA June weather.  I saw way more nipple than I wanted.  If I wanted a wet t-shirt contest, I would have gone to Spring Break in Cabo.  Don't worry, it's not all bad - Dave and I met on a blind date, and a year and a half later, I'm still not sick of him.  But after hearing the following 2 horror stories from the girl who sits next to me at work, I'm wondering if I am the exception rather than the rule...

1. My podmate, Zaneta, met her blind date for a trip on the Staten Island Ferry.  When they got to the wasteland that awaited them on the other side, he suggested that they take a 20 minute bus ride to a random mall and walk around like they were 14 (even though they were in their mid 20s).  After trekking to the middle of nowhere and boring my friend with stories of how he attends Anime conventions in costume, he had the nerve to tell her he "didn't think it's working out."  Oh, and he called her materialistic because she wore a little bit of make-up on the date.
2. Zaneta's buddy had it even worse this week. 

• Her date requested to meet at a very dive-y bar - an odd choice for a first date.  I love a good dive, but it's weird on a blind date when the bar is sticky and there are zero other patrons.  One seedy bar wasn't enough, so he decided to take her to 3. 
• They met at 6:30 - clearly too early for her to have eaten between work and the date - yet after about 2 hours she still had to suggest grabbing a bite.  McDonalds must have been all out of reservations because he decided to take her to Crocodile Lounge so he could buy a beer for himself and receive a free personal pizza for her, thereby freeing himself of the obligation to buy food.  Great place for trivia night...but they didn't go for trivia and he looked cheap.
• He was wearing a denim shirt with jeans.  Head to toe denim.  I may not be a fashion guru, but ew.
• He asked her if she was a good cleaner.  Why didn't he just ask how many goats she was worth or check if she had child-bearing hips?
• He is a graphic designer, but had never heard of graphic design software (she happens to be in the field and attempted to ask questions).  Do your homework before telling career lies.
• He had never heard of The Killers or the song "Mr. Brightside".  I'm no music buff, but even I know that song, so it struck me as slightly bizarre.

Men, let this be a lesson.  I'm not trying to be high-maintenance, but some behavior is unacceptable on a first date (or ever - that whole denim on denim thing is never ok).