11.01.02 - 5:36 p.m.

I shouldn't be writing now. There is too much other writing to do. But I can't go the entire weekend without putting something on the page. Or screen, as the case may be.

I'm surprised I haven't rear-ended anyone on my way to work yet. Because I'm never thinking about driving. There are too many other things going on in my head in the morning. And this morning, instead of concentrating on the road, I was thinking about the scene in the Will and Grace season premiere when Harry Connick Jr. ("oh...Leo") rescues Grace from her run-in with the streetlamp or whatever it was and she's finding out how awesome he is, and she's like, "oh, god, please don't say you're Jewish," or something to that effect. And this is in no way meant as a religious slam, but I am SO glad I'm not. It's not just Grace - at least half of my Jewish friends want to date and possibly eventually marry Jewish men. None of my Catholic or Episcopalian friends put this pressure on themselves, and I think about how hard it must be to add one more thing to the big list of guy traits we all keep in the back of our minds.

There are things like JDate, which must make the process a little easier, but what do you do if you run into the man of your dreams on the street like Grace did and it seems great except for that one niggling detail? Can you overlook it, like maybe he doesn't like Cat Stevens who in your opinion is the world's greatest songwriter hands down, or do you just walk away and chalk it up to fate telling you he wasn't the one after all?

Probably like differing musical tastes, it's a subjective thing, an easy out when dealing with some guys and something to really ponder with others. I'm sure I'm generalizing here. Although I don't think I could ever date someone who listened exclusively to rap because I worship at the temple of skinny white guys with guitars. (See, Dan, you're safe.) But because I'm not religious, I've never had to wonder whether or not I should continue dating someone who's not Lutheran. The question has only come up when I've been with Jewish guys, and it's come from their side, not mine.

Who knew Will and Grace could inspire such deep thinkin'?