Dating has gone through so many evolutions, and if you’re a human behavior (I think that’s the best way to put it) nerd, then I’d advise checking out Aziz Ansari’s ‘Modern Romance’ to dive into the past because when it comes to the present, we’re going to talk about that right here, right now. Yes, we’re getting into dating sites and apps today because this week, Nicki van Ingen Schenau is taking us on a crush adventure with a guy she met way back when on a matchmaking site. More on that and her Tokiotours business later. Right now, let’s talk about the wonderful world, at least to me, of modern dating.
I didn’t date until later in life. This was not a conscious decision. It was more like feeling like one of Quasimodo’s gargoyles in a sea of Disney princes and princesses, aka not being the most stereotypical beauty in Los Angeles. Had I gone to college and stayed in, say, Iowa – I probably would’ve been married with four kids by 27. However, in LA…people like myself run into a lot of roadblocks, most of which are in our heads. So it took a lot of time for me to muster up any form of courage to make that initial profile, but once I did – I realized dating is the least scary thing in the world. Plus, there’s a good chance you get a free meal.
I started on a site designed to help the most socially awkward connect, one for geeks, nerds, and all-around weirdos. From there, OK Cupid called my name, and after meeting Matt – I said adios to the apps and sites for good. So I got out of the dating scene right as the swiping feature really started to take hold of singles (and some non-singles, yikes). However, when I was out there scouting, I found it quite interesting the things one could get into by just answering a message from a stranger. Which, for me, is part of the adventure of it all.
Meeting people in real life is what our parents and grandparents did. Hell, it’s what our older siblings did, and for many millennials – how some of you even did it by marrying your high school or college sweetheart. For the rest of us, we missed those boats and sailed into the 21st century alone, and with that came the rise of the internet – so pretty much all IRL shit went overboard. For someone who usually freezes up at the mere thought of talking to a stranger face to face, great for me.
I’ve always been better with words that are written down, or in this case – typed. So messaging random people on a dating site was not hard for me, and I did quite well for myself because when I started out. Plus, like our guest this week, I met some interesting people whose companionship was adventurous. Not quite as much as hers, but for someone who’d never dated – it was a whirlwind, and it all came from answering messages on a site.
Some people absolutely hate online dating, which – why? Every other aspect of our lives exists online, but to some, fairy tales don’t develop swiping left and right. Just wait until Pixar makes a movie where dating apps…date. Then perhaps minds will be changed. Anyways, dating apps are like window shopping to me, and sometimes you order, and it’s shit. In those cases, you come to learn the difference between people who are Shein and those who are Target. Like in real life, it’s all about trial and error, and if you continue to get losers – baby, what are you doing? Learn from mistakes instead of repeating them.
Will dating apps and sites lead you to the love of your life? Maybe, but you’ll never know unless you try. So if you’re single and reading this, I want you to open your preferred dating app or site and take a chance on one of the next few people who message you because you just never know what crush adventure awaits, and even if it’s a total fail…at least you’ll have a story to tell.
Crushgasm 
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