So. Y’all know a thing or two about me. BUT, did you know that I LOVE The Bachelor? (And by The Bachelor, I mean both The Bachelor and The Bachelorette. Love them equally. I draw the line at Bachelor Pad – have never watched it and never intend to. For purposes of this post, we will refer to both shows as The Bachelor from here on out. Also, I would like you all to know that The Bachelor is an anomaly in my TV watching habits. I do not watch any other dating show, and I have no interest in doing so in the future.) Yes, indeed, I love The Bachelor. Let’s take a brief walk down memory lane, shall we? (It looks a lot like that suspiciously wet-looking path leading into the mansion.) The first season I can remember watching was Trista’s, in 2003. I also watched season three (in 2003) with Andrew Firestone and Jen Schefft, and the season in 2006 with Travis and Sarah. Next up for me was Andy and Tessa in 2007, and from there, I’ve diligently watched every season: Brad, DeAnna, Matt, Jason, Jillian, Jake, Ali, Brad again, Ashley, Ben, and Emily. Whew! To clear a few things up, do I think everything that happens on these shows is real? No, of course not. Do I think half of the contestants are ridiculous and mildly insane? Yes, of course. Do I really like some of the contestants and root for them? Yes, of course. Do I truly believe that the couple at the end will make it long term? Depends on the season :) So yes, there is a bit of a hopeless romantic inside me, but that’s not really why I love the show. I do love that it’s simply fun to watch,