2008, BUT STOCKS SOARED. THE DOW SURGED 605 POINTS.
THE DOW UP 532.
>>> CORONAVIRUS IS CHANGING HOW
WE LIVE OUR LIVES, AND THAT
INCLUDES HOW WE DATE.
ARETHA FRANKLIN’S SONG HAS TAKEN
ON A NEW MEANING IN THESE TIMES.
♪
♪ >> Karen: REMEMBER THAT TUNE?
OUR NEW VIRTUAL WORLD BEGS THE
QUESTION, WHO IS DOOMING WHO?
AND HOW DO SINGLES GET IN ON THE
FUN?
FUN? IT’S DATING IN THE TIME OF
COVID-19.
COVID-19. >> Paula: I REMEMBER BEFORE
THERE WAS THE INTERNET.
AND EVEN WHEN CELL PHONES CAME
OUT, THEY DIDN’T HAVE CAMERAS,
SO YOU COULDN’T DO FACETIME OR
VIDEO CALLS.
VIDEO CALLS. SO THIS IS TECHNOLOGY NOW.
I CAN’T IMAGINE WHAT THIS WOULD
BE LIKE 10-20 YEARS AGO.
BUT BECAUSE OF THESE KINDS OF
GADGETS, WE DON’T HAVE TO BE
ALONE.
ALONE. ♪
♪ CHRISTA PENNED A SONG CALLED
"DARK DAYS" ABOUT LIVING IN THE
TIMES OF COVID.
♪
♪ HE’S JUST A GUY WHO MET A GIRL
TWO DAYS BEFORE THE WORLD SHUT
DOWN.
DOWN. INSTEAD OF LETTING DISTANCE
FIZZLE THINGS OUT, THEY
CONTINUED TO MEET FOR DATES,
VIRTUALLY.
VIRTUALLY. >> IT WAS REALLY NICE.
IT WAS A CREATIVE WAY TO GET TO
KNOW SOMEBODY UNDER THE
CIRCUMSTANCES.
CIRCUMSTANCES. >> Paula: GONE ARE THE DAYS OF
HAND HOLDING AND THAT EXCITEMENT
OF MEETING SOMEONE UP NEW
FACE-TO-FACE OR EXPERIENCING
THAT FIRST KISS, IF YOU VALUE
YOUR HEALTH AND YOUR LIFE AND
THE HEALTH OF OTHERS.
BUT JUST BECAUSE YOU’RE SINGLE
DOESN’T MEAN YOU CAN’T MEET.
>> THE WAY I FEAR OUR GENERATION
IN DATING, WE HAVE BEEN
PRACTICING SOCIAL DISTANCING
SINCE THE iPHONE CAME OUT.
>> Paula: A SMALL GROUP OF
SINGLES, JACK IN HIS 20s, SHEILA
IN HER 50s, AND THIS YOUNG WOMAN
TINA WHO IS 26.
IT’S DATING IN THE DAY OF COVID.
>> I DON’T SEE AS MUCH OF A
DIFFERENCE.
DIFFERENCE. I WAS GONNA TEXT YOU AND
FACETIME YOU ANYWAY.
>> IT PUT A DAMPER ON US BECAUSE
WE CAN’T MEET UP IN PERSON.
>> Paula: IT TURNS OUT WHO IS
ZOOMING WHO MEANS IT DOESN’T
HAVE TO BE THE SAME OLD SONG.
THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR
DEEPER CONNECTIONS.
DEEPER CONNECTIONS. >> WE’VE HAD ONLINE DATES AND
GOTTEN OUR DRINKS, PLAYED MUSIC.
WE’VE SPENT HOURS ON THE PHONE.
YOU’RE REALLY GETTING TO KNOW
THE PERSON AT AN EMOTIONAL LEVEL
MORE THAN THE PHYSICAL.
>> IT DOES REALLY CALL FOR THAT
MORE MEANINGFUL FIND OUT WHO
YOU’RE TALKING TO.
>> Paula: IT’S NOT A DATING SITE
BUILT FOR COVID BUT FOR COVID
DATING.
DATING. >> YOU GO ON, JOIN, AND SELECT
THE COMMUNITY THAT YOU WANT TO
BE IN.
BE IN. OUR SITE IS ALL LOCAL.
SO, YOU KNOW, IN DETROIT YOU
WOULD SELECT DETROIT.
>> Paula: BECAUSE OF THE ORGANIC
WAY THEY CAN CREATE THE GROUPS
AND THEIR EXPERIENCES, THERE IS
LOVE IN THE AIR, EVEN FOR
PARENTS NOW THAT SCHOOL’S OUT
FOR THE SUMMER.
>> ONE OF OUR GROUPS THAT HAS
BECOME MY FAVORITE DURING THIS
PANDEMIC IS HOMESCHOOLERS UNITE.
I LOVE THAT WE HAVE A FORUM
WHERE OUR MEMBERS CAN DISCUSS
THEIR FRUSTRATIONS WITH
HOMESCHOOLING.
HOMESCHOOLING. >> Paula: I MEAN, HONESTLY, YOU
CAN FALL IN LOVE OVER ANYTHING,
EVEN REMOTE LEARNING.
HERE’S THE BIGGEST TRICK,
GETTING YOUR FRIENDS TO DO
INTRODUCTIONS AND YOU YOU CAN
HAVE BLIND ZOOM DATES, OR IF YOU
DON’T HAVE FRIENDS WHO HAVE
SINGLE FRIENDS TO INTRODUCE YOU
TO, JOIN THE ONLINE CHAT GROUPS
OR ZOOM GROUPS AND FORGE A
DEEPER CONNECTION.
DEEPER CONNECTION. NO, IT’S NOT LIKE BEING TOUCHED
OR TOUCHING OTHERS, BUT YOU CAN
DO IT VIRTUALLY AND STILL GET A
DEEPER CONNECTION BECAUSE YOU
GET TO KNOW THE PERSON BEFORE
YOU GO OH BABY, OH BABY, OH
BABY, I’M HOT FOR YOU!
[LAUGHTER]
[LAUGHTER] >> Karen: PAULA, YOU ALWAYS
CATCH ME OFF GUARD.
>> Paula: I LOVE THIS STORY!
>> Karen: I HAVE SINGLE FRIENDS
WHO ARE TALKING ABOUT THIS AND
THEY’RE FRUSTRATED, SO IT’S AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO TRY.
>> Paula: NOW IS THE TIME.