Dating Tip #2

The digital age is pretty screwed up. Sometimes when I'm bored or embracing my hipster/hippie side, I start to overanalyze just how creepy it is that we all overexpose ourselves online.

Online dating is especially odd. Unlike Facebook, other online daters who see my profile are meant to be complete strangers. In fact, when I realize that someone I know has happened upon my dating profile, I am utterly embarrassed. I'd prefer STRANGERS to peruse the details that I share about my life and my most flattering pictures. And if one of those total strangers contacts me, after a few e-mails, I'm sharing my hometown, my neighborhood in the city, and my profession, all with someone who could really be ANYONE: a small child, an old man, a total creeper.

Yea... it's weird.

Sure, putting yourself out there is always going be a little scary. And you have to be smart about the whole thing. Creepers are usually pretty good at giving off a "vibe," and just like in real-life dating, you gotta trust your instincts about people.

But a word of advice to the dudes out there...

Dating Tip #2: Don't be a total (obvious) stalker!!

If you're gonna stalk my ass, at least do it on the DL. Don't let me know that you're stalking me!! That's a great way to have me running for the hills.

For example, a while back, I started e-mailing back and forth with a guy who I wasn't too jazzed about, but I decided to give him a chance. His e-mails were rather interview-like, to the extent that he would list out multiple questions for me to answer. Literal numbered lists. After reading one of his e-mails, I closed down my computer and decided to write back when/if I had more time/energy.

Hours later, I had this message:

well looking forward to hearing back :)

I should interject and let you know that OKCupid will sometimes let you know when someone's viewed your profile. So this guy saw I was online, saw that I read his message/looked at his profile, and then wrote me a message when I didn't respond right away.

DUDE. CHILL! Did he think that sending me that message was going to make me want to e-mail him back? If anything, it put the nail into the coffin. A few days later I got another message:

Should I assume you've lost interest? haha

HAHA YES!