by Jackie K. Cooper
A friend of mine told me the other day that he was signing up for some sort of online dating service. I was appalled. This to me seems like one of the dumbest things to do ever. I told him my opinion and he replied that everybody was doing it. Based on his assertion, I asked some other friends if they knew anyone signing up for online dating services, and they said they did. Obviously, it is the new way to meet people, especially for the younger generation.Still, I think it is creepy. I mean, you can swear to be twenty-five years old, movie star handsome, and many other good things -- online. Yuk! Maybe in this day and age this is the quickest and safest way to go. You can correspond with someone a while before you actually meet them, and maybe these "dating services" do conduct some kind of screening.
I have never participated in an online dating service. They didn't even have such a thing when I was dating. We just sent a message by a dinosaur and waited for an answer. (ha ha) I have participated in certain "groups" online. The ones I have enjoyed are "writers groups," and I have to admit after you have e-mailed, blogged, or whatever with strangers for a while they actually become your friends.
One group I participate in has a woman in the group named Annie. She is a writer under the name of Luanne Jones and has had several books published (THE SOUTHERN COMFORTS and HEATHEN GIRLS). She always writes interesting posts on this site, and I had commented back and forth to her about different things. This was our only communication; I didn't know what she looked like, but she did know me from [the picture on] my website.
Anyway, this past weekend I went to Bowling Green, Kentucky, for the "Southern Kentucky Book Festival." This is an event where writers are in a huge hall with slews of other authors, and we meet people and sign books. This goes on from ten in the morning until three in the afternoon.
Around noon, a woman walked up to my table and said hello. Then she added, "You don't know who I am, do you?"
My response was, "I'm sorry, but I don't. Should I?"
She then held up a copy of THE SOUTHERN COMFORTS and said, "That's me."
I jumped up from my chair and raced around the table to give her a hug. I was so glad to meet her. She was just as warm and personable in person as she had seemed to be online. We talked for several minutes, and I even got to meet her husband and son.Now when I "chat" online with Annie I will know who she is and what she looks like. And I guess that is the way it happens for those people who set up dates online. Still, I would be much more eager to find a friend online than to try to find a mate.
But the electronic age is here, and communication has taken on a whole new meaning. You have to move with the times or be left behind in a cloud of dust.
Jackie K. Cooper was born in South Carolina and now lives in Georgia. He is the married father of two sons and the proud grandparent of a boy and a girl.
He is familiar to people living in the middle Georgia area as the "entertainment man" since his entertainment reviews run in newspapers and are shown on television there. His short stories have also been used as commentary on Georgia Public Radio.
Cooper has lived an exceptionally interesting life. Portions of it were contained in his first book JOURNEY OF A GENTLE SOUTHERN MAN. Now the journey continues in his second book titled CHANCES AND CHOICES.
and be sure to visit his excellent web site: jackiekcooper.com.
Jackie White
Greatest Generation
Finding Your Face
In Praise of Red-Headed Girls
Fear Itself
Men and Their Automobiles
It's All About Me!
Moments of Memories
What You Going To Do?
Never Too Old To Hurt
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