Editing 120: Dating Service

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==Explanation==
 
==Explanation==
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Enjoying "long walks on the beach" is a romantic activity stereotypically associated with dating; specifically, it is commonly listed as an interest in dating advertisements and, more recently, online dating profiles. It is among other romantic clichés like "candle-lit dinners" and may, in fact, simply indicate that the person enjoys romantic gestures and activities in general. It is likely that many people who list this in their profiles have never, in fact, taken a walk on a beach or may not live near enough to a beach for it to be a viable suggestion for a date.
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Enjoying "long walks on the beach," like candlelit dinners, is a romantic activity stereotypically associated with dating and with profiles for online dating sites.
  
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In this comic, [[Randall]] lists "long walks on the beach" as an interest on a dating profile. However, while a romantic walk might last for half an hour or an hour before, presumably, moving on towards another activity, Randall suggests he likes walks that last several hours or even overnight, suggesting potential mates bring a tent to camp out in.  
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In this comic, Randall (it is unclear whether this is Randall Munroe or another Randall) seems to be an avid beach walker who does not take kindly to people for whom the "long" in "long walks on the beach" is an exaggeration (relative to his perception). He personally does not just enjoy walks on the beach, he enjoys walks that are so long that they require a tent. One might suggest that it would be more accurate for him to say that he likes camping and hiking, rather than just walking, on the beach, in which case the problem is with his phraseology rather than his dates', but his attitude in the comic would imply that he is relatively oblivious to the perceptions of others.
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The title text suggests that those who say they like long walks on the beach are being disingenuous, or not forthcoming. He just wants someone who wants what he does; to walk an indefinite, indeterminate distance well beyond the comfort and expectations of everyone else.
 
  
 
==Transcript==
 
==Transcript==
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==Trivia==
 
==Trivia==
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* This is the first xkcd comic featuring [[Randall Munroe]].
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*Other similar activities include piña coladas and getting caught in the rain ([http://songmeanings.com/songs/view/119758/ Escape (The Piña Colada Song)]).
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* This was also used in the "about the author" bio of Randall's book Thing Explainer, however, there the picture was of a [[Cueball]] and not a [[Hairy]] as shown here.
 
  
 
{{comic discussion}}
 
{{comic discussion}}
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[[Category:Romance]]
 
[[Category:Romance]]
 
[[Category:Comics featuring Randall Munroe]]
 
[[Category:Comics featuring Randall Munroe]]

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