What do wax and serving trays have in common? Besides having been everywhere during Damona’s recent family trip to Colonial Williamsburg, they are both traditional gifts for a 16th Wedding Anniversary, which is PERFECT timing, since Damona and her husband Seth just celebrated their Sweet 16(th Anniversary).

To celebrate, our guest today is none other than Seth Hoffman! Seth isn’t *technically* an expert in love, but he’s taught Damona a heck of a lot about what partnership really means. The two will be sharing their most important lessons, favorite memories, and will be taking a stab at the infamous Couples Challenge.

DATING DISH (2:10)

The social experiment that wants to end dating apps:

According to a recent article in Interesting Engineering, the Pear Ring is the real-life social experiment looking to make IRL connections easier for singles. The Pear Ring is advertised as “the opposite of an engagement ring,” and wearing the green-colored accessory signals to others that you’re single and looking for a match. Although an altruistic idea, there are some caveats to wearing something that advertises you’re open to being approached. Damona goes over these caveats, as well as some intriguing stats on engagement rings – for example, while both men and women are more likely to wear a wedding ring today than in previous generations, those under 40 are also more likely to remove it. 

SETH HOFFMAN (11:00)

Seth Hoffman has written on tv dramas you know and love, including House, Prison Break and The Walking Dead. But his most important creations are certainly Damona’s two children.

(12:30) Love will find you when you least expect it.

We’ve all been on the receiving end of unsolicited relationship advice at one point or another, and there are definitely phrases that float around in the zeitgeist of romantic advice. But do these suggestions really check out over time? Damona and Seth ponder over and debunk some classic pieces of relationship advice, including “happy wife, happy life” and “never go to bed angry.” 

(18:05) The memory jar exercise.

If you’re an avid watcher of The Drew Barrymore Show, you may have seen Damona featured in an episode honoring the newest issue of Drew Magazine. Drew brought together her cohost Ross Mathews, his husband Wellington, and Damona to deliberate whether soulmates were real. In this same episode, Damona mentioned an exercise she and Seth have done called The Memory Jar – you write down your favorite memories together, place them in the jar, and continue to add to it over time. (You can see a clip from the segment on Damona’s Instagram!) Seth shares the proper origin story of the memory jar, and how their daughter Addie played a vital role.

(28:50) The Couples Challenge!

You know that the truth comes OUT during a couples challenge. And in Damona and Seth’s version, we get answers to questions like: Who is more likely to talk to a stranger? Who is stricter with the kids? Who steals the bed covers more? Who would die first in a zombie apocalypse? Who is usually right? And who’s the better kisser?

Want to hear more reflections from Damona and Seth? Be sure to check out their previous Dates & Mates interview here!

DEAR DAMONA

Submit your questions on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook and hear our answers live on the show! There was no Dear Damona this episode, so listen in next week to see if Damona addresses your question. 👀