Tuesday, June 19, 2007

Where did you meet?

Whenever my girlfriend and I are out and about, socializing with other couples, the question eventually pops up.

“So, where did you two meet?“

In the old world, my path probably would have never crossed with my girlfriend’s.  We have completely different careers, different home towns, different friends, live in different areas of town, have different hobbies.  We probably would have never met.

But in today’s hyper-connected world, our meeting was possible.

“We met online,“ is our slightly embarrassed response.

I say “embarrassed”, because not too long ago, it seemed a bit odd, even sketchy to meet a potential girlfriend or boyfriend online.  It seemed like the kind of thing reserved for people looking for less of a relationship, and more of a romantic interlude.

But today, online dating is taking hold.  You probably know somebody who skips the bar scene, and instead scours the Internet, looking for potential mates.

In reality, meeting online is no more arbitrary than meeting at a bar, or a bookstore, or even a grocery store.  When you meet somebody online, you have an opportunity to correspond with them, learning about each other, before meeting in person.

Now, there are even more resources for those looking for love online.  A new site (still in beta) has emerged, offering online dating advice, for those of you looking for love online.