Cookout topics are changing these days. Ten years ago, the idea of Internet dating would have never been a part of the quasi-intellectual banter that accompanies grilling out. But the conversation at the last cookout with the Clarks quickly became a confessional, as many of the attendees admitted their stabs at the online dating scene. Yes, even I must admit experimentation with technology’s latest attempt to mingle the single. For those unfamiliar with the procedures of Internet dating, there is one primary way to meet people online: chat rooms. These forums (the most popular of which are designed by search engine companies like Yahoo) provide means to correspond with others around the world through typing, similar to instant messaging. Most web sites also offer a “voice chat” option allowing users to talk to each other using microphones connected to the computer. But as cookout conversation has determined, distance does not necessarily make the heart grow fonder when it comes to finding love online. “I wouldn’t do it again unless they lived closer,” said Ryan Campbell, a senior in criminology. Campbell, who used Excite.com found it difficult to maintain a long-distance relationship with a woman four driving hours away in Indiana. But mileage wasn’t Campbell’s only concern. “I mailed her a picture, and she mailed me one of her. Sometimes you have and image in your head and seeing that picture can change things,” said Campbell. Columbus area resident Brad Stanley, who drove to Tennessee to meet a woman he met on the Internet, summed up his even more dramatic letdown. “It was disastrous. She didn’t list a husband and two children in her profile,” Stanley said, being thoroughly disgusted when his dream woman he met online ended up being a mother and wife. Stanley admits other traditional dating methods can be equally deceiving. “You don’t know anything about people when you meet them in a bar either,” Stanley said. But when asked if he would give online dating another chance his reply was definite. “Never again,” he said. Concerns about online dating have popped up everywhere. The anonymity that makes it intriguing for the timid also makes it dangerous for the careless and a tool for those who wish to exploit. Just remember, if you ever decided to meet someone, make sure it is in a very open and public place first, to ensure your own safety.
Web sites have been designed to give advice for the concerned. Sites such as love-4-life.com provide advice as well as forums for Internet lovers to meet. So don’t be let down. You just might meet the love of your life online. It’s possible, but not probable. If you’re interested in seeing the success stories of online dating, you might want to check out the Web site datingdaily.com . There are plenty of gushy stories about those who are willing to pack up their things in Florida and move to an air force base in England to meet the love of their life.
Other free dating/chat rooms sites:
Pay Sites
- DatingClub.com – Over 1,500,000 personal adds from around the world
- Match.com – Offers two-way matching to find the love of your life
- WebPersonals.com – Dating, romance, or an intimate encounter… you make the call
