Distracted Dating: How Does Massachusetts Stack Up?

Distracted dating is a thoroughly modern probably, thanks to smartphones. But how big of a problem is it in Massachusetts?

I wish I had some expertise to share on the subject, but I don't. Actually, scratch that: I'm glad I don't have any expertise to share. My heart goes out to anyone reading this who is putting their heart out there in the dating scene these days. So many apps, so many social networks, so much complication. Sure, the "dating pool" is wider and deeper than ever. But I'm glad I'm not swimming in it.

I'll leave the dating expertise to The Matchmaking Company. They put together this piece called The States with the Most Distracted Daters and it's revealing. Here's a bit of their methodology: "We conducted a nationwide survey of 3,100 Americans [and] calculated a ‘distraction index’. The score is based on how often they check their phone...during dates." It runs from 0 to 100. So where does MA land?

Turns out distracted dating isn't as much of a problem in the Commonweath as it is in other states. Massachusetts ranks 35th out of the 43 states surveyed, with a "Distracted Dater Score" of 36.48. To put that into context, Texas owns the top spot in the ranking with a whopping 85.62, more than a full 10 points ahead of Tennessee, which is ranked second. Maryland is 43rd with a 12.49.

So what's keeping those Mass numbers low? Over 70% of daters in the state are putting their phones on Do Not Disturb while out on a date. That's a good start. You can dig into the numbers here if you're curious about how MA stacks up when it comes to texting, checking email, and taking calls on a date. And if you keep scrolling, you can see what some people are doing before they head out on those dates.

I came across this list of the most popular aphrodisiacs and found some of them to be...confusing. Take a look and see what you think.

I think my initial confusion came from not fully understanding the meaning of "aphrodisiac." I looked it up, of course, and according to Merriam-Webster, an aphrodisiac is defined as "an agent (such as a food or drug) that arouses or is held to arouse sexual desire." This cleared things up for me because, as you'll see, there are a lot of strange food items on this particular list.

The list comes from Fashion Nova, it's called The Most Popular Aphrodisiacs Across the U.S., and it's a trip. Like a lot of these types of studies, the research comes from Google trends. The Fashion Nova folks went back over 12 months of search data to find out what the randiest folks in all fifty states were punching into their search engines in preparation for date night and...makin' whoopie.

There are the usual suspects, of course. Vanilla, which is tops in 14 states. And honey, which comes in first in a half-dozen. Then, there are some questionable picks. Actually, I shouldn't say questionable. Who am I to judge what turns a person on? As long as it's safe, sane and consensual, between two adults (or more, if that's your thing), then what the hell? Let's get it on.

But before we do, let's look at some highlights from the list. You can consider it foreplay, I guess. I'll share the top aphrodisiacs in the New England states with you, then I'll reveal some of the more surprising choices and the states that choose them. By the time we're done, you will be satisfied. And you might be craving a salad.

Vanilla - The scent of vanilla reins supreme in southern New England (and a dozen other states, reaching down through the Mid-Atlantic and into the Midwest). So what does that mean? A scoop of vanilla ice cream for desert after date night dinner? Or some Vanilla Fudge on the makeout playlist?

Celery - I had to double-check the colors on the map to make sure I had this right. I did. Mainers consider celery an aphrodisiac. Remember that quip I made about salad earlier? This is only part of the reason why. Believe it or not, there are more sexy veggies in our future.

Chocolate - Where southern New England had their vanilla, northern New England (and the Commonwealth) has their chocolate. A versatile aphrodisiac, as chocolate has so many rich textures and flavors and applications. I'll let your imagination run with that one.

Arugula - I thought this was a joke at first. But here's what the study says: "This aphrodisiac food is known for its peppery bite and ability to stimulate the senses. Some even say this leafy green’s flavor and scent can create a "pheromone effect" that makes you more attractive to others." Who knew?

Watermelon - I mean, I get it, I guess. The act of eating a watermelon can be sensual. But why do I feel like Okies are less into the actual watermelon fruit and more into dousing themselves in watermelon body spray before a date night trip to the monster truck rally?

Sweet Potatoes - Leave it to the state with one of the worst Senators in the country to have one of the worst picks in the country. Maybe a sweet potato pie all smothered in melted marshmallow is sexy? But wouldn't that be the cinnamon doing the real work in that scenario?