Romantic Things

Gender-neutral romantic things

Simon Davison and Suzanne Davison Season 1 Episode 4

Simon and Suzanne discuss why all the romantic things in the Romantic Things app are gender-neutral, and in the review of romantic things for the episode, Simon reveals the romantic thing he just won't do!

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Suzanne:

In this episode, we discuss gender neutral, romantic things, and Simon shares the first romantic thing he's refusing to do

Simon:

Welcome to the romantic things podcast. I'm Simon Davison,

Suzanne:

And I'm Suzanne Davison.

Simon:

Let's start with the app status. Uh, we're chasing down the bugs, uh, the Mo too, most probably, uh, problematic being an issue with the reminders being off by an hour. Um, and the updated subscription mechanism isn't working exactly as expected. Uh, we're frustratingly close, but development turnaround times have been long. So fingers crossed, uh, we'll have both issues addressed by the end of the next episode.

Suzanne:

Got it. So the app isn't available yet, but we'll be in the app store soon.

Simon:

Correct.

Suzanne:

So Simon, some of the romantic things that are in the app are gender neutral, right? So why don't you have just male and female romantic things.

Simon:

Okay. Let's try something as quickly as you can name all of the romantic things that men can do for women.

Suzanne:

<laugh> open a door,

Simon:

Uh, but women can do that for men.

Suzanne:

Oh. That only women can do right. Or only men can do for women. Exactly.

Simon:

I mean, if we're talking gender specific, giving, giving flowers and chocolate, the classic yeah. Male giving to a woman gift of romance. Right, right. But what are the others I'm I've through actually looking I've, I'm inclined to say there are none. There are. Other than that one example, that's been marketed to hell by, uh, all of the people that are in the love business, realistically. Uh, there's no reason that any gender can't do the romantic gesture. Yeah. That's being done for,

Suzanne:

For so that, so it's good that everything in the app is gender neutral.

Simon:

Um, I'd like to think so. Um, it makes, uh, well, for one thing, it makes my life a little bit easier. But aside from that, everybody's it, it's not so much about who you are being romantic with. It's the romantic gesture itself. That's the most important thing

Suzanne:

Agreed.

Simon:

Okay. With that said, let's move on to this episode, romantic things.

Suzanne:

Well, I have one more question. Like how many romantic things are in the app. Like

Simon:

I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you. Um, we have, we have over 475 romantic things in the app. Okay. At the moment. And of those 475, uh, plus about 90 or so of them are perfect things free and zero effort.

Suzanne:

So you could literally do a romantic thing every day and still not run out of things in the app.

Simon:

Yeah, absolutely. For, for a year. Absolutely. We actually want there to be some repetition cuz we think there are some romantic gestures that need to be done a little bit more often than others. So for example, going to B Bora, that's gonna be a once in a lifetime event kind of thing. We don't expect that to happen more than once if it does. Fantastic. Good for you. Yeah. Good for you for sure. Uh, but when it comes to things like, uh, as you said earlier, opening the door for somebody, uh, that's a nice romantic gesture, uh, that shouldn't be done once that should be done as often as possible. Right. So, so those kind of gestures or those romantic things will surface up a little bit more often just because we think they need to be done more often.

Suzanne:

Got it.

Simon:

Okay. So yeah. Okay. So for this episodes, uh, things we're gonna start off with one that was suggested to, and I came across it, uh, while looking for some romantic suggestions for the app and it's, it's called a progressive transportation date and it's similar to a, I don't know if you've ever heard of a progressive dinner date, where you start, where you have an appetizer in one restaurant, you have, uh, the main course in another and you have dessert in a third. Well, this is a slight riff on that. And the idea is you, uh, take a taxi to, uh, say the park at lunchtime, you then take a ride, share to the restaurant for dinner, and then you take a limo to a baseball game or a football game or whatever, some other, or some other event. Now that it's been surfaced to me as something that I should do or could potentially do. I'm deciding that I'm not gonna do this.<laugh> I don't, I don't see this as being romantic. I could see how some people would like the,

Suzanne:

Think it depends on how much you're gonna drink in each one of those areas. Well, I

Simon:

Think what it comes down to, I, I guess the amount of effort for romance in this case, and I don't think there's much romance happening here. I think it's more the spectacle of the event than it is about the partner and being romantic to them.

Suzanne:

Got it.

Simon:

Okay. That make sense. It does. Okay. So as a result, this one, uh, I I'm, I'm mixing, I didn't bring this one to your attention. I,

Suzanne:

No, it came up and you're like, I'm not

Simon:

Gonna do it. I'm not doing that. I don't, I don't think that's,

Suzanne:

I mean, or you could save it for later, right? Like you can.

Simon:

Yeah. I mean, I, maybe one day we'll we'll need to get to two or three different locations and it'll be an excuse to have three different types of transportation. But, um, I don't want to go out of my way to set up that scenario just for the sake of doing

Suzanne:

It. Okay. So that seems like that's too much effort for you

Simon:

For, I I'm willing to do something to pay, but like that the, the right. Share the taxi and limousine for one day.

Suzanne:

Well, if you were in San Francisco, that would be easy to do, but where we're at and<laugh> that you wouldn't maybe need to do all of that or something.

Simon:

Yeah. Well, I, I, but that's the, the date is the three things. Okay. All together. And I'm not saying you're not worth it. I think you are worth it.<laugh> I just, I just don't think it's a particularly romantic thing to do. Some people might see the romance in it, but I don't. I, what do you, I mean, do you, does it sound romantic to you? Were you like, oh, that sounds Cinderella.

Suzanne:

You didn't mention a carriage or a pumpkin. Well,

Simon:

Li limousine that's about his close to carriage as

Suzanne:

We're getting, um, I just, I guess it would depend on what events you were doing in between each of those rides.

Simon:

Well, like I said, uh, park dinner game,

Suzanne:

But if it's a whole day out, that might be romantic. Okay. Still refusing to do it. Yeah.

Simon:

Tough. You're not getting it.<laugh>

Suzanne:

Still refusing to do it. Yeah. Okay.

Simon:

Okay. So let's go and move on to number two. Um, so number two is, uh, cast shadows artwork by Emily front. Um, this is, we have, uh, a few, uh, pieces of art, which we surface up in the app. And the, the idea is that couples decide whether or not they'd like to add this piece of art to their, to their collect. Um, in this case, for those that aren't familiar with the piece, it shows a man and a woman against a wall he's holding her hand and she's kind of not, not quite returning his gaze. Um, but there's a it's up lit from the bottom. And it, as a result, there's a, it casts long shadows. Hence the name of the, the title cast shadows. It's very striking photo, realistic piece, Suzanne and I talked about this, um, realistically we've just bought some, some artwork, so we're not really in the market for, for, for new pieces, but I like,

Suzanne:

It's a cool piece. I mean, it's,

Simon:

I, I like to, but you didn't, it, it didn't cool out to you as much as it did to me. No,

Suzanne:

It didn't.

Simon:

No, I, so what was it about, what was it, what was it that you didn't like? I mean, was it because it a bit of a go

Suzanne:

More the look of on their faces? It just didn't seem, I don't know, like I'm looking for desire or what, but it didn't, I didn't seem to have that for me.

Simon:

Okay. All right. Fair enough. Well, let's move on to number three. Um, number three was a movie suggestion. Um,<laugh> and somehow Suzanne and I haven't Matt actually got around to watching this movie, but it's the silver linings playbook, which has been out for a long time now. And I have no idea what it is that, about that movie that I never got around to watching it or wanting to watch it, but

Suzanne:

Yeah, but we did just watch it, right? Yeah, yeah, yeah. We just, we had, hadn't gotten it around to watching it. We haven't, but we have now,

Simon:

But we have now gotten around to watching it. It was good.

Suzanne:

It was really good.

Simon:

But, um, I, I don't know how much romance and love I saw it was a very contentious relationship. I mean, yeah, right. It wasn't, there were, there weren't many tender moments in that movie,

Suzanne:

Right? Yeah. But it was, well, it was a love story. It just, yeah.

Simon:

Pat, pat, Tiffany then to characters.

Suzanne:

Yeah. Kind of a, just a darker love story. Yeah. But I mean, you don't suggest watching what I would call a chick flick very often. So it was chick lick<laugh>

Simon:

Maybe it is. I don't know.

Suzanne:

Yeah. Well, I think any love sappy things are probably putting into the category of a chick lick.

Simon:

Oh, fair enough.

Suzanne:

But I mean, I, yeah, you don't actually propose watching those. We're usually watching Marvel. So it was a good change of pace to, to watch something a little more romantic.

Simon:

Yeah. There's always a good time to watch Spiderman. Right.

Suzanne:

<laugh> a good time to watch Spiderman. That's a love story in the hack too.

Simon:

Exactly. Right. Okay. So let's move on to number four. Um, which was a question we have these getting to know you better questions in the app. And, uh, this particular question is when they're down, what makes them feel better? This is a obviously zero effort. Yeah. Zero cost

Suzanne:

Conversation,

Simon:

Conversation piece. But it was a question I haven't actually gotten around to asking you, so yeah.

Suzanne:

Yeah. And, um, yeah, we discussed it, which is good because when you, when I get down, it, it does take a little bit to it out of it. I, um, I think that you were surprised by my answer, which was put on a really sad movie and just cry<laugh> it seems counter intuitive.

Simon:

Uh, but again, I've, I've, I've also heard of people. If, if they, if they get emotional, I've heard of people getting in their cars and just going for a cry in their cars. Mm-hmm<affirmative> so, uh, I, I guess watching a movie and cry, forcing a cry just seemed, seemed like the same sort of mechanism. Just a different riff on it, I guess.

Suzanne:

For sure.

Simon:

All right. So let's move on to the, the last question, uh, sorry for the question. The last, uh, thing that we covered, which was a task for me, which was to the towels into an exciting shape for Suzanne, um, and, uh, an exciting shape, an exciting shape<laugh>

Suzanne:

Exciting

Simon:

Shape, an exciting romantic shape as well. Cause there are, there are many shapes you can shape. As, as I learn, there are many shapes you can shape a towel into. Okay. But only two of them, I would a romantic or exciting

Suzanne:

<laugh> okay.

Simon:

And those are swans and roses.

Suzanne:

Oh yeah. And I got swans and I walked into the bathroom and the two swans were in the shower, kind of looking at each other, making a heart. And I actually just started laughing.

Simon:

<laugh> wasn't what I was going for.

Suzanne:

<laugh> but the effort was good.<laugh> and I just started laughing. Actually I will post a picture, um, with this podcast of my two swans

Simon:

That you should

Suzanne:

Do. Yeah. It must have put a lot of effort in to make those, I did those swans, which when I took my Swan down became like number seven from raised by wolves became a big snake thing.<laugh>

Simon:

Nice reference. Yeah. Uh, it it's actually surprisingly easy to make those things. Uh,

Suzanne:

Well maybe that's why you see it in all those romantic, like places that,

Simon:

Well now I've gotta, I'm gonna learn how to make the rose as well. Cause they just seem like nice skills to have. You could just go to a hotel and make the, the, the bat out. Look a little bit nicer for you when you come in. Huh? Yeah.

Suzanne:

With me. So sweet.

Simon:

Yeah. Mm-hmm<affirmative> okay. Right. So how do we do in this episode? Uh, what were you least impressed with?

Suzanne:

Well, uh, since I didn't get one, I'm gonna say that one<laugh> I didn't even know about that one.

Simon:

Yeah. And I guess you, it sounds like you might have actually wanted to be taxied ride, she and limo around

Suzanne:

It shows effort<laugh> is what I'm gonna say. It sounds like I got you hopped out on that effort. Um, and then I guess the picture, I mean, I, we have the kiss in our bedroom. Yeah. Yeah. And that is romantic. Like if that would've been the picture that you showed me, then I would've been like, oh yeah, that's cool. Yeah. No, but we've already got it. Yeah. We already got it. But yeah. So I'm sure there's others, but yeah, my, the swans was my favorite this week.

Simon:

This one's

Suzanne:

Time.

Simon:

Okay, good. I, I like, I like this ones too. Um, that was, uh,

Suzanne:

It, it was definitely a surprise cuz I walked in and I'm like, oh my God, what is that?<laugh>

Simon:

Yeah. I, uh, when I heard the laughter I assumed that it was about this ones. Yeah,

Suzanne:

Yeah, yeah.<laugh> for sure.

Simon:

Okay. Listeners, try some of the sub Jake's covered in this week's episode with your partner and let us know how things go at romantic things. App gmail.com.

Suzanne:

So that's romantic things, app gmail.com. Exactly.

Simon:

And don't forget to share if you enjoyed the show and we'll be back in the next episode

Suzanne:

And don't forget to be romantic.

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