Tuesday, November 12, 2024

Single in the Glass City

Jamie Young

38, Lieutenant firefighter/Fusion Bistro & Bar owner

What qualities make an ideal girlfriend? Honesty, communication, someone that can actually talk to you and tell you when things are wrong. What’s the craziest thing you've ever done for love? I think it was probably flying back and forth to West Palm Beach to date someone. I guess long-term that was a little nuts. Most people [in Ohio] don’t date people in Florida. So you are willing to go out on a limb for the right person? I would do whatever it took to find the right person for me and to hold on to that relationship.


Reed Bennett

26, Banker at PNC Bank

Explain the bow-ties. I’m kind of an attention whore. People always think it’s really formal, but I find it’s a great conversation starter. What is a pet peeve you have about women? I think my pet peeve is that women always say they want an upstanding nice guy, and they tend to not go for those types of guys. And Twilight. Just across the board. That’s a general blanket statement. So you’re not role-playing any sort of Edward/Bella scenes? No, no, no. If I’m nerding out, it’s going to be Harry Potter or Star Wars.
 


Hochan Banger Jang

29, President, COO and Chef at Balance Pan-Asian Grille

You’ve got quite the local chef personality. Would you be the kind of boyfriend who cooks? If a girl ever asked me to cook for her, yeah, I'd do it. Cooking’s fun; I think it’s an art form. Describe your dream woman. You have to be physically attracted to know whether you want to start a conversation. The girl has to definitely be  sweet. Someone you can trust; communication's very important. I’m definitely a verbal guy and I always want to make sure that everything’s good. Blondes or brunettes? Ooh — I don’t discriminate.


Dan Lemle

20, Bowling Green State University journalism major

What was coming out like for you? [It was] a process. It was definitely scary at first and forced me to do a lot of thinking. Now I proudly identify as a member of the LGBT community. Are you ready for a serious relationship? I could definitely see myself in a serious relationship. If I'm going to date someone, there has to be a [real] connection. You sound kind of old-school. I guess I am. [I have a] traditional way of going about stuff like that. What are your turn-offs? Someone who isn't well-groomed; people who don't take care of themselves or their belongings is a turn-off for me. And people who always have to get the last word in; that kind of bugs me too.


Chip Cranon

27, Staff sergeant, Ohio Air National Gaurd

How would you categorize your dating approach? I’m more of the nice guy. I go up to a person and introduce myself. No games or gimmicks. It’s just an honest approach. So no one-liners for you? No, none of that. Would you say you’re ready to settle down? That’s hard to say. If the right girl came around, I could think about it. What makes you a good partner? I’m fun and adventurous. I’ll try just about anything. I’m honest and a nice guy. Do nice guys finish last? I don’t think they do. Usually it’s the nice guy that wins the best girl for them.


Kelli Mistry

49, yoga instructor

Who is your dream partner? Someone who is not afraid to live life, has a sense of humor, and a free spirit with a shiny soul. And not a cheater. I am adamant about that. Some would say that's not so free-spirited. [Laughs.] You can be committed to each other and be free-spirited. I just want someone who is committed to me, because I think that's a sacred bond. What's your idea of a fun night? A lot of things for me are fun. I’m just as happy going to a club and dancing on a pole as I am laying on my rooftop with a blanket and candles, staring at the stars. I went on a date to Chuck E. Cheese once — but I can also go to watch classical ballet and feel at home.


Becky Gilsdorf

27, marketing and sales manager for LexaMed

What kind of music do you listen to? I do not discriminate against any genre of music. Music is my life. I’m a singer — I’m vocally trained. [A potential boyfriend] has to be into music and be into going to shows and stuff. Can a guy expect to be serenaded in song? Oh definitely. That goes without saying. What’s something people would be surprised to know about you? I just graduated with my master’s in public health. Do you want a funny one? I am an incredible pogo sticker. Whenever I have people over, I just bust out the pogo stick.


Alex Zyndorf

19, Kent State University fashion student and intern

What is a pet-peeve for you about men? When someone spends more time on their hair than I do. That’s a deal breaker. So no metrosexuals for you? No. [Laughs.] I like someone who cares about their looks, but isn’t afraid to get dirty when they’re playing a sport, either. What’s your idea of a perfect first date? I like to just go to dinner and talk to a person. I’m very big into the whole communication [thing] and getting to know someone. What first-date restaurant would impress you? Mancy’s, definitely. My dad always told me he took his first dates to Mancy’s Steakhouse.


Leandra Osborn

22, customer service representative

What's a turn-off for you? A guy that’s not respectful of me being a vegetarian. One time a date tried to put bacon in my salad. I was like "What are you doing?" There definitely wasn’t [another] date after that. How would you describe your dream man? He’s holding a Gibson hummingbird acoustic guitar. What tune is your dream guy playing the first time you hop in his car? If he turns it on and it’s some country, twangy song, nah. Country kills my musical soul. […] There’s a [little-known] band called Lost In The Trees. If a guy was playing that,I would be shocked — and I would know right away, this is going to work.


Becky Fitts

23, game plan and group fun consultant for the Mud Hens

Do you see yourself getting married? I definitely want to get married and have kids, but I’ll always say I want to make a name for myself before I take someone else’s name. You sound ambitious. I’m very ambitious. I have a pretty long bucket list. Do you need someone adventurous? Yes. Not afraid to jump out of a plane with me or drive really fast in a car. So would sky-diving ever fly as a first date? Absolutely. If you took me sky-diving on a first date you would just steal my heart.


Check out behind the scenes pics and extended interviews on Facebook

Jamie Young

38, Lieutenant firefighter/Fusion Bistro & Bar owner

What qualities make an ideal girlfriend? Honesty, communication, someone that can actually talk to you and tell you when things are wrong. What’s the craziest thing you've ever done for love? I think it was probably flying back and forth to West Palm Beach to date someone. I guess long-term that was a little nuts. Most people [in Ohio] don’t date people in Florida. So you are willing to go out on a limb for the right person? I would do whatever it took to find the right person for me and to hold on to that relationship.


Reed Bennett

26, Banker at PNC Bank

Explain the bow-ties. I’m kind of an attention whore. People always think it’s really formal, but I find it’s a great conversation starter. What is a pet peeve you have about women? I think my pet peeve is that women always say they want an upstanding nice guy, and they tend to not go for those types of guys. And Twilight. Just across the board. That’s a general blanket statement. So you’re not role-playing any sort of Edward/Bella scenes? No, no, no. If I’m nerding out, it’s going to be Harry Potter or Star Wars.
 

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Hochan Banger Jang

29, President, COO and Chef at Balance Pan-Asian Grille

You’ve got quite the local chef personality. Would you be the kind of boyfriend who cooks? If a girl ever asked me to cook for her, yeah, I'd do it. Cooking’s fun; I think it’s an art form. Describe your dream woman. You have to be physically attracted to know whether you want to start a conversation. The girl has to definitely be  sweet. Someone you can trust; communication's very important. I’m definitely a verbal guy and I always want to make sure that everything’s good. Blondes or brunettes? Ooh — I don’t discriminate.


Dan Lemle

20, Bowling Green State University journalism major

What was coming out like for you? [It was] a process. It was definitely scary at first and forced me to do a lot of thinking. Now I proudly identify as a member of the LGBT community. Are you ready for a serious relationship? I could definitely see myself in a serious relationship. If I'm going to date someone, there has to be a [real] connection. You sound kind of old-school. I guess I am. [I have a] traditional way of going about stuff like that. What are your turn-offs? Someone who isn't well-groomed; people who don't take care of themselves or their belongings is a turn-off for me. And people who always have to get the last word in; that kind of bugs me too.


Chip Cranon

27, Staff sergeant, Ohio Air National Gaurd

How would you categorize your dating approach? I’m more of the nice guy. I go up to a person and introduce myself. No games or gimmicks. It’s just an honest approach. So no one-liners for you? No, none of that. Would you say you’re ready to settle down? That’s hard to say. If the right girl came around, I could think about it. What makes you a good partner? I’m fun and adventurous. I’ll try just about anything. I’m honest and a nice guy. Do nice guys finish last? I don’t think they do. Usually it’s the nice guy that wins the best girl for them.


Kelli Mistry

49, yoga instructor

Who is your dream partner? Someone who is not afraid to live life, has a sense of humor, and a free spirit with a shiny soul. And not a cheater. I am adamant about that. Some would say that's not so free-spirited. [Laughs.] You can be committed to each other and be free-spirited. I just want someone who is committed to me, because I think that's a sacred bond. What's your idea of a fun night? A lot of things for me are fun. I’m just as happy going to a club and dancing on a pole as I am laying on my rooftop with a blanket and candles, staring at the stars. I went on a date to Chuck E. Cheese once — but I can also go to watch classical ballet and feel at home.


Becky Gilsdorf

27, marketing and sales manager for LexaMed

What kind of music do you listen to? I do not discriminate against any genre of music. Music is my life. I’m a singer — I’m vocally trained. [A potential boyfriend] has to be into music and be into going to shows and stuff. Can a guy expect to be serenaded in song? Oh definitely. That goes without saying. What’s something people would be surprised to know about you? I just graduated with my master’s in public health. Do you want a funny one? I am an incredible pogo sticker. Whenever I have people over, I just bust out the pogo stick.


Alex Zyndorf

19, Kent State University fashion student and intern

What is a pet-peeve for you about men? When someone spends more time on their hair than I do. That’s a deal breaker. So no metrosexuals for you? No. [Laughs.] I like someone who cares about their looks, but isn’t afraid to get dirty when they’re playing a sport, either. What’s your idea of a perfect first date? I like to just go to dinner and talk to a person. I’m very big into the whole communication [thing] and getting to know someone. What first-date restaurant would impress you? Mancy’s, definitely. My dad always told me he took his first dates to Mancy’s Steakhouse.


Leandra Osborn

22, customer service representative

What's a turn-off for you? A guy that’s not respectful of me being a vegetarian. One time a date tried to put bacon in my salad. I was like "What are you doing?" There definitely wasn’t [another] date after that. How would you describe your dream man? He’s holding a Gibson hummingbird acoustic guitar. What tune is your dream guy playing the first time you hop in his car? If he turns it on and it’s some country, twangy song, nah. Country kills my musical soul. […] There’s a [little-known] band called Lost In The Trees. If a guy was playing that,I would be shocked — and I would know right away, this is going to work.


Becky Fitts

23, game plan and group fun consultant for the Mud Hens

Do you see yourself getting married? I definitely want to get married and have kids, but I’ll always say I want to make a name for myself before I take someone else’s name. You sound ambitious. I’m very ambitious. I have a pretty long bucket list. Do you need someone adventurous? Yes. Not afraid to jump out of a plane with me or drive really fast in a car. So would sky-diving ever fly as a first date? Absolutely. If you took me sky-diving on a first date you would just steal my heart.


Check out behind the scenes pics and extended interviews on Facebook

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