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Forget dating apps, MN woman looks for love via Christmas card
Julia McClellan knew her card would be posted on her friends’ refrigerators, so she included a special message.
GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. — Growing up in Minnesota, Julia McClellan has come to appreciate the value of fridge-front real estate during the holiday season.
“Of course, that’s where I have to put my Christmas cards,” McClellan said. “I’m obsessed with Christmas.”
Because of her love for the holiday, McClellan says she decided to make her own Christmas card this year.
But as a professional marketer, she also decided to use her little parcel of space to market herself.
“I put a little secret message on here,” McClellan said. “It says, ‘Are you seeing this on my friend’s fridge? Are you a single male between 25 and 35? I’m Julia and this is my pup.’ I also list my phone number.'”
McClellan says the card was her lighthearted way of acknowledging a struggle that she, and many other singles have encountered navigating dating apps like Hinge and Bumble.
McClellan: “This really started with a lot of bad dates and me thinking, ‘It’s the end of the year and I want to do something that’s kind of funny and make my friends laugh.’ That was the real intention.”
McClellan: “Yeah! A couple of people sent it to other people and here we are, in my living room chatting about this… on tv.”
In a video she posted about her card on TikTok, McClellan acknowledged that she is far from alone when encountering bad dates online, but she says 2023 seemed to be even worse than ever.
“On one date this guy was telling me that he has some female co-workers,” she said. “He was like, you know, ‘I’ve just decided that females can’t make a rational decision on their own.’ I was like, ‘I’m about to make a really rational decision.’ Needless to say, we did not go on a second date. It’s a little bit like, ‘Hello?!’ can we have a normal conversation? Just have a nice time?”
She insists she’s not in search of a certain type, just a great guy in that 25 to 35 age range.
“I’m 27, so I don’t want to go too much younger than my age,” she said. “Just a mature man would be great.”
And she said there is only one other requirement.
McClellan: “You’ve got to love dogs. If you don’t love dogs, I don’t know… therapy?”
Erdahl: “Any good responses from those friends or family?”
McClellan: “A lot of laughter is the main reply. ‘This is amazing. I can’t believe you did this.'”
Erdahl: “And your parents?”
McClellan: “Oh, it’s on my parents’ fridge. I mean, my parents, have friends of all ages so you never know if someone my age might walk through their kitchen, but they’re in Florida. I’m looking for a Minnesota man.”
Erdahl: “Well we’re going to put this up on that big television fridge, you ready for an influx of messages?”
McClellan: “I mean, you’ve got to try something, so sure. Why not?”
If you’d like to connect with Julia, she says you can reach out on Instagram @juliamcclellan or TikTok @juliamcclellan0
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Fire officials say the flames started in a garage but then jumped to an apartment building and hotel.
MINNEAPOLIS — The Minneapolis Fire Department (MFD) evacuated residents after a four-alarm fire sparked on the city’s south side late Wednesday night.
The fire chief told KARE 11 that the fire started in a garage unit on the 5600 block of Lyndale Ave. S and quickly jumped to a motel and apartment complex nearby. All three will be declared a total loss.
The Red Cross was called to help a reported 50 displaced tenants find a place to stay. Two firefighters and one resident were medically evaluated for injuries.
Fire crews used an aerial ladder water tower to dump large amounts of water on the apartment building in an effort to knock down the flames.
KARE 11 will update this story as more information is available.
Jerry McAfee, founder of 21 Days of Peace, said many of these kids are committing crimes for recreation and don’t understand the consequences of their actions.
MINNEAPOLIS — Community leaders say they were disheartened to see the latest string of youth crime, but they’re not shocked.
“The youth that age and younger have been participating in criminal activity long before you guys just found out,” said KG Wilson, a retired peace activist.
Wilson said the perception of kids committing crimes is hard for people to imagine.
“Nobody wanted to believe that these children this young would be doing this type of criminal activity in the community,” he said. “Instead of them listening to the few of us that we’re trying to tell them about this before it gets worse, it got worse. And then you got the taps on the hands because a lot of these kids have been doing this for years.”
Jerry McAfee has seen the same things. He’s the founder of 21 Days of Peace and works with dozens of kids to keep them on the right path.
“This behavior is not new. What is new is we are yet to be alarmed to the point that the necessary synergy is created to get ahead of that stuff and to try and stop it,” McAfee said.
He believes it’s time for a new approach.
“What we were doing three or four years ago and have been doing the last few years isn’t working. It’s getting worse. So, if it’s getting worse just stop, admit it’s not working, and let’s put something together,” he said.
McAfee said many of these kids are committing crimes for recreation and don’t understand the consequences of their actions.
“That’s the message they got to get. This is not games. This is real-life,” he said. “I don’t think there is many repercussions, and what kids deem now as fun is dangerous.”
Wilson agrees the problem is getting worse each year, and kids and teenagers need to be held accountable.
“There’s going to have to be some consequences to their actions and they’re going to have know, these children are going have to know if you do this, this is what’s going to happen to you,” Wilson said. “If that doesn’t happen, they’re going to say and think in their mind, we can do anything we want and we’re just going to get a pat on the hand.”
He said it’s not all on the parents. He said some of them have tried to get their child help, but nothing seems to work.
“A lot of times these kids have gotten so out of control that some of the parents fear them. The parents fear them,” he said.
Wilson believes people need to become neighbors again and look out for kids on their block.
“We got to start getting back to community meetings,” he said. “It’s about tough love. It’s going to have to be about tough love. You’re going to have to get tough. It’s either you’re going to let them go, let the streets have them, or you’re going to take them back yourself.”
McAfee said it might be time to air public service announcements explaining the consequences of committing crimes.
The boy had been last seen on the 2500 block of 14th Ave S.
MINNEAPOLIS — Police in Minneapolis say a 4-year-old who was reported missing has been found safe.
According to the Minneapolis Police Department, Jacob Gonzalez Orbe had been last seen around 3:40 p.m. Wednesday on the 2500 block of 14th Ave S.
In an update Monday evening, police said he was found and is safe.
This story has been updated from a previous version.
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