Love 2.0?

How does the busy successful single girl meet a man in this town? Mcmurray is a busy place! Nightshift, dayshift, cross shift, back shift, short change. Finding someone with the same schedule as you is as hard as... well finding someone! I've recently found myself attempting the online dating. I had tried it few years ago when I first moved here. I chatted with a few people, went on actual dates with a couple but never really connected with anyone.

Online dating makes sense right? It is like streamlining the process! You see a picture, read a little personal description and then decide if you want to talk to someone. The first issue is suffering through the "about me" section. I know I am no Shakespeare, but there is nothing worse than reading a profile written so terribly that you think the person typed it wearing mittens. How can you send that person a message or reply to one they send? Short hand is great if you need to send a quick text or tweet but when you are describing yourself, put in a little effort! My favourite is when they misspell their profession (i.e. I work in cunstruction or I am a supervizer). Embrace the spellcheck!

 The second is the married man with a profile. We all know the story of the transient worker. Working and living it up in Fort Mcmurray with a wife and kids back home that he fails to mention. There's no ring, he lives alone. He tells you he is single. Its pretty easy to hide a family on the other side of the country. Cheating has become very mainstream for both men and women. Makes the dating pool a scary place for an old fashioned gal.
 Lastly, You find a lot of men on these websites that are only looking to hookup, especially the free websites (not to point any fins). I've received messages at 2:00 in the morning from 21 year olds. I think my profile is pretty clear. Looking to date with the intent of finding a relationship, not late night rendezvous with dude's that probably don't have all their adult teeth yet. When did the game become hook up and move on? Where is the effort? The romance? The wooing? When did we start skipping that part and hopping right into bed?

There is also a plus side to online dating. The world is a scary place, even in our little town. You hear the scary stories of muggings and robberies. With online you can safely chat with someone from the comfort of your own home. Maybe chat with that person on the phone before you ever have to meet him. After a couple of solid conversations you can usually weed out the crazies. You can take your time to get to know someone a little anonymously. Smart online date. Wait to give out personal information about yourself. Meet in a public place for the first time. Take separate vehicles or take a cab. Let a friend know your plans. You can never be too careful!

I think there are pros and cons to the online dating. Maybe I'll try it for a little while longer. I have this blind faith that one day I'll find the person that gives me "that" feeling. Maybe he's online, at work, in the grocery store, or he hasn't moved here yet. Till then I'm going to keep all my options open!