My friend, Kathy, recently filled out an online dating profile, as she put it, "just for fun to check it out." Within hours, she received a delightful assortment of very special dating possibilities. To quote her, she got "1) a married guy who just wanted a woman "friend", 2) a 27-year-old guy that said he liked to "satisfy older women"; and 3) a beautiful transgender person transitioning from a man to a woman." Welcome to the world of on-line dating, my dear Kathy! You, me, and numerous others just venturing out to find someone special in wide sea of "special" people. But guess what? We did find someone special. And oh boy, they were special alright. Specials that you found a sideshow at the circus.
The world of online and apps for dating have never ceased to amaze me since their creation. A friend of mine got me hooked on some phone apps that, at first, seemed like a possible road to dating bliss. Smiling faces either in close-ups or in front of someplace they had been like the Eiffel Tower, or the Washington Monument, or the Tower of Pisa... Notice anything about those places... I didn't either until I realized they were all phallic symbols. Then there are the pics of hairy or smooth chests, sometimes feet for the foot fetishers, or underwear-covered behinds. And... Oh my! Is that your... Well, you know. Why show me a suggestive picture such as The Tower of Pisa if you can show me the real thing?
At first, it was all in good fun, but after while it was the same guys looking for the same thing everyday all day. Never updating their pictures, which by the way may have been from ten years ago, if you're lucky to actually meet them in person someday you could spot the difference... But in all fairness, that wasn't true for any of the ones I responded to. They were just nice guys looking for what I wasn't. My bald spot, grey hair, and Buddha belly-wanna-be wasn't exactly Ricky Martin in a thong. Just wait until all of what I have is in style. I'll be ready. They'll be all over me. Excuse me while I don't sit around and wait.
The guys I never meet were numerous, despite my messaging and viewing their profiles. One that I did meet had nothing on his profile. Only his name and age. When I asked about that, he replied "I don't want everyone in my business." Then what the hell are you on here for? I was brave enough to ask what he was looking for and some of his interests, but I still felt like I was trying to lift a ten-ton elephant just to get something to start a meaningful conversation. I should have dated the elephant. He would have been more interesting and peanuts are a cheaper meal.
I've come to the conclusion there's only one true and tried way of meeting people. Get out and look for them. From my point of view, these apps and websites are just a way for people to hide for whatever reason and, in some cases, that's exactly what they should do. From just a pic and a few words, I can't really use my instincts, body language, or pick up visual cues to determine if they are lying, uncomfortable, or at any moment might come at me with a butcher's knife like Norman Bates.
In a recent Facebook post, I announced that I was over the dating scene, especially the virtual one. It's back out and into the real world for me. Make some friends, chit-chat, and get to know you. I'd rather shake your hand and meet you face to face than see your shaking ass in a YouTube video and then watch you strip down and proceed to... Well, I might save that video for later.
CSM
The world of online and apps for dating have never ceased to amaze me since their creation. A friend of mine got me hooked on some phone apps that, at first, seemed like a possible road to dating bliss. Smiling faces either in close-ups or in front of someplace they had been like the Eiffel Tower, or the Washington Monument, or the Tower of Pisa... Notice anything about those places... I didn't either until I realized they were all phallic symbols. Then there are the pics of hairy or smooth chests, sometimes feet for the foot fetishers, or underwear-covered behinds. And... Oh my! Is that your... Well, you know. Why show me a suggestive picture such as The Tower of Pisa if you can show me the real thing?
At first, it was all in good fun, but after while it was the same guys looking for the same thing everyday all day. Never updating their pictures, which by the way may have been from ten years ago, if you're lucky to actually meet them in person someday you could spot the difference... But in all fairness, that wasn't true for any of the ones I responded to. They were just nice guys looking for what I wasn't. My bald spot, grey hair, and Buddha belly-wanna-be wasn't exactly Ricky Martin in a thong. Just wait until all of what I have is in style. I'll be ready. They'll be all over me. Excuse me while I don't sit around and wait.
The guys I never meet were numerous, despite my messaging and viewing their profiles. One that I did meet had nothing on his profile. Only his name and age. When I asked about that, he replied "I don't want everyone in my business." Then what the hell are you on here for? I was brave enough to ask what he was looking for and some of his interests, but I still felt like I was trying to lift a ten-ton elephant just to get something to start a meaningful conversation. I should have dated the elephant. He would have been more interesting and peanuts are a cheaper meal.
I've come to the conclusion there's only one true and tried way of meeting people. Get out and look for them. From my point of view, these apps and websites are just a way for people to hide for whatever reason and, in some cases, that's exactly what they should do. From just a pic and a few words, I can't really use my instincts, body language, or pick up visual cues to determine if they are lying, uncomfortable, or at any moment might come at me with a butcher's knife like Norman Bates.
In a recent Facebook post, I announced that I was over the dating scene, especially the virtual one. It's back out and into the real world for me. Make some friends, chit-chat, and get to know you. I'd rather shake your hand and meet you face to face than see your shaking ass in a YouTube video and then watch you strip down and proceed to... Well, I might save that video for later.
CSM