Forget the Dating Services - Order a Pizza to Find Out if You're Compatible
Posted: Friday, July 13, 2007
by Danny Davids
Since I’m married, I don’t have to worry much about dating. (Well, actually, I do – but taking a spouse out on a date involves a whole different set of rules than taking out a potential mate.) So when I see ads on television and the Internet promoting the value of dating services, I figure I’m safe ignoring them. After all, what do I need to find out about my wife that I don’t already know? Evidently a lot, according to Dr. Alan Hirsch, the lead researcher and director of the Smell & Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in Chicago . Domino’s Pizza commissioned the organization to do a study on pizza toppings and the personality traits associated with them. I don’t know how much I trust a correlation between pizza-topping preference and behavior, but hey, I’m willing to give it a shot.
The Meat Lovers
If you like only pepperoni, or only sausage, or only Canadian bacon, or only any other single-meat topping on your pizza, you most likely need to take some anger- and time-management classes. Dr. Hirsch’s study suggests that one-topping pizza fans are irritable procrastinators who conveniently forget obligations. If you don’t like that description of yourself and want to change, here’s a quick fix: Add another meat topping. Folks who enjoy two or more meats on their pizza are extroverts, seductive and dramatic, and thrive being the center of attention. (Sounds a whole lot nicer, doesn’t it?) Strangely, both types of meat-lovers gravitate to one-topping meat people. I guess being a cantankerous time-waster has its advantages.The Veggie Lovers
People who like only one veggie on their pizzas are to the social world what type O blood is to blood banks: They’re “universal"! They are easygoing, empathic, and romantic and get along with all other pizza people. Top your pizza with two or more veggies and you’re liable to be honest, loyal, and humble. But too much of a good thing does have its down side, as they tend to be quiet and avoid confrontation to the point of being taken for granted in a relationship. Who do these people get along with? Wouldn’t you know, it would be …The “Other" Lovers
Folks who enjoy something outside of the usual on their pizza (like, say, anchovies or pineapple), or who enjoy extra bell peppers or onions on their pie, tend to be more aggressive and ambitious. They’re also more competitive (which would explain why they make such a big deal fighting over that last piece of pizza).Unfortunately, there were a few “other" combinations that weren’t studied. For instance, what about cheese lovers? No no-topping options were offered. And then there are the more subtle preferences that we enjoy. Does a meat-lover who prefers less sauce have more subdued characteristics that her full-sauce counterpart? Is a person who enjoys thin-crust pizza more emotionally vulnerable that his thicker-skinned, thick-crust peer? These are burning questions that need answers!
A bit of common scents
This may sound a bit new-age, but evidently Dr. Hirsch and his faculty study how scent affects a wide variety of human responses and actions. Another study the institute has conducted suggests you can find a soulmate based on your food preferences. Additional studies try to determine how scent affects human appetite (can your nose affect weight loss/gain?), aging (can how you smell make you feel younger?), and sexual arousal (who would have thought that bad breath could be a turn-off?). They also suggest that scent preference is cultural, with studies indicating that certain smells appeal to certain cultures. Anything’s possible, I guess. I’ll have to mull it all over over lunch. “Hey, honey, I’m in the mood for pizza. What do you want on yours?" Heh-heh-heh …!This Article has been viewed 1,497 times. (Not updated in real-time.)
Top-level comments on this article: (2 total)Danny, your writing voice is the cheese that makes pizza yummy! Most writers have a difficult time finding their voice. Yours is loud and clear. My recommendations to you are minor. If you submit an article to a busy editor, the first sentence will determine if they take the time to read the rest of your work. How could you turn that first sentence into a hook? My only other recommendation is that you make sure all sentences in your paragraph relate to that paragraph's topic. For example, does every sentence in the last "Scents" paragraph relate to scents? I love your style. Keep writing!Marilyn, would that be mozzarella or parmesan? Thank you for your kind comments!
Oh no, Danny, I am now devastated. You see, basically I always thought of myself as pretty 'easy going' however, after reading your article, I discovered I need to check out some anger and time management classes. All because I like a single meat pizza? Could that be???? Seriously, I really enjoyed your article and am absolutely going to try to check out other pizza toppings before it's too late....Let's see, Judi. Changing pizza topping choices...going in for therapy...which is easier, cheaper, and faster? You make the call! (And don't forget to tip the delivery person!)
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