Jake, 22

Where do you live?
I've lived in Sacramento basically for my whole life.

What do you do for a living?
Currently I'm in the landscaping business.

Does that score you a lot of dates?
No. It does not. It's definitely not like the whole thing where there's a hot lady in the house, and you're working, and she comes out in the yard in a bikini, and you get with her. That's not what it is. And you don't meet a lot of chicks and say, "Oh yeah, I plant trees."

But that's what happens in the movies.
Yup, that's what happens in the movies.

So is it safe to assume that you're single right now?
Yes.

How do you normally meet people here?
Usually just going out with friends. Friends of friends are who you meet.

If you were to meet a girl you were interested in, how would you approach her?
Approach her would be the wrong word. I'd probably hang out around her. I'm not really the guy to go up and crowd a girl and freak her out. It's not really my thing to care that much.

Tell me about your ideal girl.
I like taller girls who... shape of the girl, is that what we're looking for? Long legs. I like brunettes — I'm not really a blonde fan. Probably because of my sister. She's blonde, so she kind of turned me off of blondes.

What about personality? What tickles your fancy?
Pretty much someone like me. Funny, has a sense of humor, not just boring. Someone you can take out who will hang out with your friends. Someone who's good with friends. Someone who's not the shy type — more out there.

What about dealbreakers?
Well, it's kind of hypocritical, but I don't like girls who smoke. I typically don't smoke myself. I do occasionally, but I'm not a hardcore smoker. If they're smoking cigarettes all the time, it's kind of nasty. I would say also, I don't like a girl that's too out there — who's crazy or gets drunk.

Well, crazy can be a liability, so you're just being smart.
I feel like I'm contradicting myself, but I like a girl who's mellow in certain ways, but bold in others.

When was your last relationship?
My last relationship was two days ago. It ended. It was three years long. I've only been in two relationships in my whole life. One was very short. I don't like girls who cheat. That's how that ended. The other one was good, but then it just ended because it was a long relationship and it didn't work out. Nothing bad happened.

Sometimes I talk to people who have trouble breaking things off. It sounds like you managed okay.
Well, it wasn't me, but I was okay with it, I guess. If you're with someone that long, you get to know them and like them, unless they do something terrible. If it ends, it ends. You accept it.

We've met the Dalai Lama of break ups. So, what are you looking for now?
I am not actively looking for anything right now, and I probably won't be for a while. If something crazy happened, like if I was riding on a train, or in a plane and I met a girl that... the mile-high club kind of seems interesting. I've never done that before. I don't know what it would be for a train.

Is there anything that would offend you in the bedroom?
One thing I definitely wouldn't like would be getting other people involved — dudes or even girls. If someone was like, "Hey, my mom's lonely," and brought her in, it probably wouldn't get me any harder. Just the basic offenses.

That seems fair. Any last tips?
Dating is fun, but it's also crappy. Sex is great, but it's also crappy. Love is great, but it's also crappy.

Lars, 33

Where are you from?
I'm from Germany. I'm a researcher at UC Davis. I've been in the States for seven years.

What's your relationship status?
Single.

What kind of person are you looking for?
That's a really hard question. I'm not sure there is an ideal person, but it really attracts me if she knows what she wants. Be confident.

What would be a dealbreaker?
Republicans.

What do you think of the dating scene in the U.S. versus in Germany?
I think there are regional differences. I've seen it in California and in Oregon. California is a little bit different than in Germany. I think Germany is a bit more liberal, it's a bit easier. If you want to ask a girl to go for a coffee, you just ask for it. It's more relaxed.

Are you actively dating?
Not right now. I'm actually too busy at work. It's a lame excuse.

When was your last relationship?
It was six months ago, and it was a year-and-a-half relationship. We met through the University.

Did it end well?
Well, no. Otherwise we'd still be dating. But we're still on relatively good terms. I'm not sure there's a diplomatic way to break things off, but there's an honest way. It may hurt more, but in the long run, I think it's better.

Do you have any crazy exes?
No, not crazy in the sense that I'm scared of them, but yes, crazy as in "My God, how could I have dated that girl?" There was this one girl who, after we broke up, I realized she was absolutely not my type. She was very conservative, very into herself, and just not interested in sports. It was totally against everything I like. Bizarre.

Do you prefer dating or being in a relationship?
I think I prefer dating mainly because I'm a researcher and my job can take me anywhere anytime, so I don't want to be tied up anywhere, really. I'm a biologist.

Do the ladies find that attractive? 
Yes and no. They sometimes dig the science nerd in me, sometimes not.

What's the most challenging thing about dating?
Not an easy question. Maybe being honest with yourself. Sometimes I get very excited about someone, and then I realize, wait a minute, this isn't what I want, or I'm not being who I am usually — I'm trying to make something that isn't there.

Do you believe in love at first sight?
No. There's more to it than just looks. But I don't think I've ever really loved, so it's pretty difficult.

Are you able to have a lot of casual sex because you're not looking for anything serious?
Yes and no, but right now it's winter, and it's more... everyone's cold.

Shortie, 30

How old are you?
I'm thirty, unbelievably.

What's your relationship status right now?
Single.

How long have you been in Sacramento?
I just moved here from Reno. That's where my job was.

What do you think of the dating scene in Sacramento so far? Are you meeting a lot of people to flirt with?
Wednesday I came to this club, and not to sound all nasty, but fine women approached me, kissing all over me. I'm like, "Naw, stop."

You had to fight them off you?
Yeah. It feels good to be back on the flirting scene, but when you think about what we're talking about right now, I don't know.

Are you looking for something more?
Yes, I am. A wife.

Who's the ideal woman for you?
Something like a hot model type. Someone who knows how to carry and project herself. Beautiful, intellectual, smart. Someone who handles business and knows how to handle her world properly.

Do you believe in love at first sight?
Yes, I do.

Has it ever happened to you?
Yeah. It was awesome. My true love was Aaliyah, who passed away a long time ago. That was my true woman. To be gay, it was like, "Oh my God, that woman is beautiful." That was my projection of love at first sight, and it still hits me to this day. I still have her name tattooed on me. I got the opportunity to meet her, hold her hand, shake her hand. We had our moment. It was great.

What about romance, what do you do to romance somebody?
I'm old school, so I'd probably do the flower thing. Music, dinner, date. You know, casual. Not try to overdo it, but try to be sensual.

Do you have any crazy exes?
I broke up with one female in my past, back in 2001. We'd been off for a couple months. I moved on with my life, and all of a sudden she popped up in my house, and was kissing at me when I had another lover in the house, and my dad... it was embarrassing. My dad had to take the other girl home. To this day, I keep contact with both females, but it was still crazy.

Are there any immediate dealbreakers for you?
Yeah, but I always give people a second chance.

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