so old i remember what dial up is

Oh, yes.

A few years ago I went to pick up a woman I met on OKCupid for a date, and a friend of hers was there. They kind of over-explained “Oh, she just showed up to say hi” and there was a vague nervousness in the air that even my autistic ass was picking up on. Her friend was playing conspicuously with her phone. I went “Ah, the safety. Need to get a picture?”

Dead silence for about a second and a half, then the friend took a picture, looked at my date, and said “Have fun” and walked out the door.

(I would ordinarily have been clueless, but I’d just been asked to be the safety the previous night.)

My advice to male-presenting folks: recognize that this not your problem. By which I mean, this sort of security check isn’t a problem for you. It doesn’t hurt you. You aren’t being insulted or disrespected. And if you treat it like what it is– a reasonable adaptation to an unreasonable situation– and just roll with it, your dates will be more comfortable, and you will have a better time as a result.

The same applies to phone calls mid-date. Let them answer the damn phone without drama.

1. Monthly Girls' Nozaki-Kun

Chiyo Sakura tries to confess her love for schoolmate Umetarou Nozaki but his obliviousness mistakes her for a fan of his shoujo manga and he gives her an autographed photo instead. When she clarifies that she wants to be closer to him she finds herself in his apartment drawing for his manga. In this goofball anime Sakura joins his mangaka team while still trying to help him realize her feelings.

2. My Love Story

Takeo Gōda is tall, strong, intimidating, and a hopeless romantic. He wants to find love but every girl he likes has a crush on his popular best friend, Makoto Sunakawa, instead. That is until he meets Rinko Yamato in the spring. This classic romance anime follows two high school students as they fall in love, even when it's inconvenient for others.

3. Kiss Him, Not Me

Kae Serinuma, a female otaku who favors yaoi relationships, locks herself in her room after one of her favorite characters was killed off. When she eventually comes out she realizes she lost a lot of weight and has gained the interest of four attractive boys at her high school. While they fight for her affections Kae secretly hopes they will fall in love with each other instead.

4. Yona of the Dawn

In this action packed anime, Yona is forced from her kingdom when her cousin betrays the throne and kills her father. As the last and only heir of the Sky Tribe she needs to convince the legendary dragon warriors to fight beside her as she reclaims her country. Adventure and romance awaits this red-haired naïve spoiled princess as she follows mystical myth in hopes to save herself and her country.

5. Fruits Basket

Tohru Honda, an orphaned high school girl living in a tent, stumbles upon the Soma home on her way to school. After accidentally hugging Kyo Soma she realizes they are a cursed family, possessed by the Chinese animal zodiacs. In exchange for her secrecy she is allowed to stay with the Soma family where she slowly learns more about the family and the true darkness of their curse.

6. Kamigami no Asobi

Yui Kusanagi, the daughter of a Shinto shrine, is transported to the world of Greek gods after discovering a magical sword. Zeus invites her to attend a high school he specifically created for a troupe of troublesome gods who have no sympathy for humanity. Her job as a human is to help them learn how to love so they can strengthen the bond between gods and humans again.

7. Kakuriyo, Bed and Breakfast for Spirits

Aoi Tsubaki, a young college student, possesses the special gift of seeing ayakashi. One day on her way to class she passes a hungry ogre god and she gives him her lunch box. When she finds her empty lunch box the next day she is transported to the world of ayakashi where she learns she must marry Ōdanna, the ogre god she fed, as collateral for her grandpa's debt. In this mythical anime Aoi must try to pay back her grandpa's debt without marrying - or falling in love - with Ōdanna.

8. Kaguya-Sama: Love Is War