What’s a shy girl to do?
I feel as though the taboo of internet dating isn’t as strong as it used to be.
I was 13 when we first got a computer and the internet in my house.
Actually we were one of the first families on the block with a computer and dial up internet provided to us by the wondrous America Online.
I remember going into those infamous AOL chat rooms and being bombarded with “A/S/L” by people either looking to hook up or just looking for someone to talk to who also happened to really like Ricky Martin.
Not that I went into Ricky Martin fan chats or anything. I mean I don’t even know if they had those.
But I digress.
As the world’s shyest teenager I felt strange and weird meeting people online. Like was I doing something wrong in my life because I couldn’t meet friends in real life, because I couldn’t get a boy to like me in real life.
Even as I got older and started blogging on xanga (yep you read that right, I’ve got 10 years of posts on that bad boy. shit that probably isn’t helping my situation is it?) and gained readers from all over the country and the world and more of my friends started meeting strangers online and, gasp, even dating them, I still felt weird about these people. I felt weird about letting these unknown, sometimes faceless people into my life. I felt weird befriending them and even developing feelings for some of them.
But here I am, in my late 20s spending my lunch breaks and bus rides scrolling through dozens of profiles of the eligible men in the city of Chicago and trying to decide if I’m still in the same mindset of my 13-year-old self wondering if I’ve messed up somewhere along the way. If I’m defective because I cant seem to meet a decent man in real life and am instead relegated to hunting for one on an app.
Is there no such thing as a cute meet anymore?
Welcome to 21st century; the digital dating age.
The Secret Life of Pandas 
I’ve always felt online dating was a crutch for me. I could be myself and have some anonymity. The only drawback came when a girl would want to meet or know what I looked like.
Um… I was wondering if you would like to join me in my quarters this night… for some toast.
I know the stigma you’re talking about, but I never felt it. Some of my friends still do. But I’ve met some of my best friends online. It just works. Why not? We’re the first wave of something that is only going to get more normal.
I’ve met people online who have become real friends, and I was even on the verge of romance with one very briefly. I know people who have used Match.com or EquallyYoked, but never did any of that stuff. It would feel very different for me to meet someone from a dating site as opposed a friend from Xanga or WP.
Then again, my sister was instrumental in setting me up with Alicia. When she first got back in touch with Alicia and her sister after many years, she showed them Facebook photos from a compilation she made for my 50th birthday and did quite a sales job. When I visited Medellín a few months later, they hosted me for a couple of parties. Maybe you need a Celestina.
Back 30 years ago, my erstwhile girlfriend’s dad met his second wife through a church magazine that apparently published single members’ profiles. It worked out well.
My sister just married a guy she met on OK Cupid. They’re just like the commercial, lol.
I think it’s hard to meet normal people in real life these days and much easier to meet them online. that’s probably a weird way to think.
To me chatrooms are kind of strange places. Years ago I went literally showed up in one about 3 times for about 2 minutes each time. I just don’t get that and that’s kind of funny because I get all this — or all of Xanga – the posting, commenting, replying, private messaging, forming friendships, sharing phone numbers…. I get this. I’ve made friends online and got to meet some in person so it’s pretty cool.
The image of online dating has change quite a lot. I think it must be something out of a lot of people’s comfort zone but it’s becoming more mainstream. I have friends married to, dating or living with someone they met on a dating site. It’s just expanding your options. It’s strange if you think about it too much.. So don’t ;-).
peace always
Maybe it’s just easier to meet people online? Water will find the path of least resistance and that sort of thing…(is that a saying? I think that’s a saying.)
I know its crazy – we live in a HUGE city yet it seems impossible to meet someone decent. There’s always been a stigma about dating online, though it seems to be fading away now. I’ve met douche bags from online and in real life. You just have to be careful who you’re talking to. One day you’ll find your Aryan prince and bear his children. Then I will buy them leopard print outfits for gifts and you better dress them up in the outfits!
LOL. MY ARYAN PRINCE