Hi Yall! Just wanted to start this blog site to connect with you diehard online daters out there that might have some wonderful (and not so wonderful) stories you're willing to share about your dating experiences. Maybe if we get together, we can learn from one another.......red flags to watch for, things not to do on a first date, profiles to be wary of, etc.
I've been online dating off and on for about 13 years (WOW! It's hard to believe I've been doing this so long). I've had some really interesting experiences, mostly good, but a few zingers too. The one thing I've found about online dating is if you don't take it too seriously and share your stories with others, it can be a real hoot! Although I've been looking for my LAST longterm partner, it hasn't happened yet. BUT, I can't say it hasn't been a journey worth taking.
I think we've all had the dates when we've been surprised that the photo in the profile looked NOTHING like the actual person, and where, of course, people have lied to us about their age. Hey, what's that about anyway? Did they think we wouldn't notice when we got around to meeting them? Just don't understand that philosophy. And telling us about all the wonderful things they have done in their life....WOW....what a way to stoke our curiousity.
Recently I had the experience of meeting a man online who told me he was a certain age, told me he had been a millionaire several times over (and of course lost it several times as well), showed me a picture of his house, neighborhood, his MANSION he had many years ago, that he had been on the cover of Times magazine several times and had been to the White House several times many years ago. Well, OF COURSE, I got curious about all this and started googling him.
And you can't imagine what I found!
At first I couldn't find anything that pinpointed if this was actually the same man, but my tenacity got the best of me. I called my local library (did you know they are a wonderful source to help you find out tons of information about everyone and anything?). I talked to this very sweet girl and vaguely told her I was trying to find out some information on this particular person. I didn't tell her why at first. She did a google and came up with about the same things that I had.
Then we really started talking and I told her why I was snooping on this person, and gave her more information about him to help. Well, she really got into it then. It's amazing how people want to help when they connect with your story. She was able to find newspapers way back when and find some articles on this guy. Guess what??? Turns out he was a real criminal!! My FIRST criminal, after all these years of online dating. And I'm talking federal stuff here, not the petty crime stuff.
Of course, this man had shared none of this information with me. We were IMing by this time in our short period of relationship. As I was getting off the phone with this very helpful lady at the library, up comes an IM message from him.
Me: "Hi, how you doing?"
Him: "Good."
Me: "Guess what I'm doing?"
Him: "What?"
Me: "Researching."
Him: "Researching what?"
I waited a minute for effect.
Me: "You!"
Another minute goes by.
Him: "What did you find?"
Me: "I think maybe you should google yourself online."
Him: "I have, and I found lots of stuff about my son and my father. My son was in a lot of trouble."
Me: "I saw some stuff about your son but I also saw some other stuff in 1985 and this person was a certain age that couldn't have been your son. "
Him: "Well, the newspapers got my age wrong." (All he was worried about was his age wrong??? Plus it was clear from his webcam that he was lying!)
Me: "So they didn't get the part about you and your company swindling seniors and disabled people out of millions of dollars wrong?
Him: "If you're uncomfortable with this, then we should just call it quits."
WHAT!!!!!!?????? IF I'M UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THIS?????
Me: "I'm in shock! I don't know what to think!"
Him: "I don't live in the past. I live in the present moment and don't feel like I have to explain myself."
(My thoughts: Really, you swindled millions from innocent people and you don't think you have to explain yourself!).
Me: "Okaaaayyyyy then,well, have a nice life and good luck to you. (SO LONG BUSTER!)
After I got off the phone, I just started laughing! The audacity of some people! I guess maybe there might have been some ladies that would have been intrigued or would have let the past be the past, but the fact that he didn't even think he needed to explain himself and there are no consequences for criminal behaviors was just too much. But I called my friends and told them about my story and they thought it was hysterical and also were very glad I got out of there before it was too late.
It all feels like a big adventure to me! And I can't wait for the next chapter to begin!
Monday, December 21, 2009
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