I remember watching that awfully cheddarific show in the '80s when I was a kid, Love Connection, with your host, Chuck Woolery! Yes, that was the tag line. I was just watching some old YouTube clips with that show, and I think that today we enjoy that voyeurism just as much. Look at shows like The Bachelor and even those television shows that add absolutely nothing to culture, like Flavor of Love or Rock of Love on VH-1. They showcase these love connections, and make light of the awkwardness that is dating.
When I was a swinging single, I wasn't a good dater per se. I went on dates, but I was a serial relationship-ist. I had no problem meeting people in the outside world, but I also often thought there was a stigma attached to meeting people online, especially love connections. There seemed to be this creepy pervasive element. When people having home computers and the Internet became more mainstream, it became evident that this was merely an evolutionary tactic for people to meet eventually face-to-face and to bring populations closer together.
Prior to meeting my husband, I dabbled in sites like E-Harmony and Match. I really felt like I was better meeting people on my own, outside of the computer screen. To each their own though. I met lots of folks on these sites, people I am friends with to this day, and I feel like these sites really harp on the whole "mind" connection as opposed to being attracted to someone. Not to say that it didn't work a bit. But I will say that some lasting friendships have occurred since.
Today, an article caught my attention on CNBC, "Social Media Sites May Be Ready For Romance." It basically stated that people who get involved in sites like Facebook and Twitter often do so to make friendship connections. To me, though, it seems like a natural evolutionary process to connect friendship with romance on these sites. After all, I did it.
I started blogging years ago on baseball, and I met lots of friends through it. I expected that though. My husband and I met because we were both passionate fans of the same team, and like each other's writing. When we became friends on Facebook, it was a natural progression that we'd be friends in real life and not just one of those "Facebook only" relationships.
But if someone had told me I'd get a husband out of it, I'd have told them they dang lost their minds!
This is just a natural progression of social media. Of course, it would be only natural that it would pervade our romantic lives as well. It also takes away the whole attachment of these pay sites that may or may not give you a suitable love connection. In fact, a lawsuit was brought against Match a few years ago about the fact that some of the recommendations for dating were inactive profiles. I knew this on both ends: I was getting emails from them, saying that someone wanted to meet me, when I knew my profile wasn't active. Well, no kidding! They wanted me to sign up again and get my fees. But it had not occurred to me that there was someone else, a living and breathing person who may have shown interest that wasn't getting a response. I know I had that problem too when I saw someone who I actually knew in real life (sorta) who was engaged! His profile was still seen by other singles, but I had to inform him that his profile was still up! Needless to say he was mortified (and no, he did not meet his wife on there, natch).
When people ask me about how my husband and I met, I am a little proud of our story. We became friends through shared interests, then really became "interested" in one other...now I not only met my best friend, but I got a husband out of it too. I'd like to think we are pioneers in the next generation of love connections! Save the mullets, aqua net and bad '80s clothing.
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