Dating in the Digital Age

I haven't blogged in a really long time.  Not for lack of material but more for lack of motivation as well as lack of time to blog with. I'm sitting home on Sunday night bored, and I keep thinking of the things I've said, "wow.. I should blog about that", hence born the Sunday night blog.

Alright so this is more of a pet peeve then anything else when it comes to dating in the modern age.. or should I say.. the digital age?  I was out of the dating scene, thinking I had found endless marital bliss for around 7 years or so and when I reemrged, all be it much hotter then I had been years earlier, I had no idea what to expect. 

So first comes Mr. Marvelous and he and I dated off and on for 7 months and had 2 phone conversations, both around 2 minutes each.  We texted everyday, through out the day.

So then, when Marv and I were in down time, comes the previously written about Star Wars Tattoos (SWT) and I have no idea how long off and on that went.. too long would probably be the most acceptable answer.  He called me 1 time, and played Salt n Peppa's Push It into the phone..and never spoke. 

I know I have complained quite a few times about Zombie Tank and how he ONLY wanted to talk on the phone, I just feel there should be a medium.  You either seem to get these guys who refuse to learn how to text , or only text using the age old male line of "I just hate being on the phone".  I think I have a tendency to want to be in the middle.  Text, cause I'm busy, but set aside some phone time, cause texting seems so impersonal sometimes. 

There is the other issue about text only dating... which if your my mom stop reading now cause shit is about to get inappropriate...

Men think they can text you ANYthing..ANYtime.. My good friend P and I have discussed the inappropriateness of certain pictures coming to our cell phones (and in 1 case a freaking video).  People get shameless- I get that.  But when you leave your phone unattended at your desk, and come back and push a button to check the time and..oh .. hi there.  That happy to speak to..I mean text me?  I even got a montage once.  No.  Twice.  He didn't think I got it the first time.  No honey.. I didn't comment cause I was told if I didn't have anything nice to say then to keep my mouth shut and last I checked calling you trashy wasn't exactly nice. 

Then the world of online dating.  Oh brother.  I'm the first to admit its not the best idea to pick up a guy in a bar, not a great idea to date coworkers..so how does one exactly meet someone single and eligible of the opposite sex?  Well.. online of course.  I am actually banned from the dating site Plenty Of Fish.. I'm not quite sure why but the information sent to me was that I had a complaint filed on me.  True I met SWT there and he and I hated each other frequently and I couldn't help but notice he saw when I recreated my profile, and he quite possibly reported me.. or was it Over-reaction Guy (who I have yet to blog about) bitter that I chose someone else over him?? Or the overly sensitive Mr. Christian-pants saying he was lookin' for a good old fashioned Christian girl and I told him to keep looking?  Who knows.  I just know I'm blacklisted from there permanantly and they warned that IF I create a new account it will automatically get deleted no matter what email I make it under. 

Nice side story, I know.  Mind you, I'm not 100% against online dating.  I just think it can lead to a very vicious cycle.  And also... IF you online date, don't use photoshop unless you are adjusting the lighting, or fixing red eye, or possibly removing a zit.  If you are a 400 lb man with only 1 arm, I'm gonna notice that when I meet you.  We only like to post the most flattering pictures of ourself, I get that.  I mean, put up a few of the best and a few mediocre.  The 'muppet master' met a girl on POF and he said that not only was she annoying and boring (something not as easily conveyed by text as it would have been over the phone, mind you) but she looked NOTHING like her pictures.  How the hell does that happen?  I'm the queen of looking diffrent from day to day, but you'll still see all kinds of pictures of me- with make up, without; in dresses, in sweats.  It goes on...

I swear that sometimes it was easier sitting by the phone waiting for a guy to call or not call.  Because then I had the option.  And I could always hang up on him.  Sure I can delete a text from my phone, but not my memory.  And when you REALLLY REALLY want him to text, you know you check your phone a million times a minute.  I swear, when Marv and I were dating, I have no idea how I got any work done...ever. I sat with my finger posed about the 'reply to text' button on my phone. (that just cries desperation, but hey I was into the guy)

Technology makes meeting, and connecting so much easier.  It just makes me wonder how much we meet the people we WANT to meet or just the ones who are convienent for us to meet.  It makes me wonder how much we really connect when we have to read that someone 'lold' rather then just hear them laugh once in awhile.