I got some sad news last week. Yahoo! Personals is closing its doors and selling its assets to match.com. Why is this sad to me? Because Mr. Wonderful and I met on Yahoo! two and a half years ago. It's sort of like the bar where we shared our first few laughs is shutting down.
Upon reading the news, I sprung into action—logging into my old account and digging in the annals of hidden profiles to dredge up my page. Then I took screenshots of it. I'm a scrapbooker, I can't help myself. It seemed like something important that needed to be recorded for posterity. I begged Mr. W to do the same, and smiled as I read the description text he wrote that I hadn't seen in such a long time. I have no idea what I'll do with our screenshots, but the contents of them changed both of our lives for what we hope will be forever.
Match.com is running a TV spot right now that says 1 in 5 relationships now starts online. 20% is a pretty big number. I'm so glad people are embracing this way of meeting each other. I know there's been a lot of resistance to Internet dating in the past (I avoided it like the plague for several years) but it really is a great way to find great people (and weirdos who make for good stories to tell friends and family). Sometimes I even miss the excitement of that first in-person meeting. Will he have a facial tick? Will he be as funny as his emails? Will his arms be unusually short?
But then I look at the picture of Mr. W on my desk and am reminded that I never want to go looking for anyone else ever again. And I can live vicariously through friends for the great bad date stories. Maybe on one of our anniversaries, Mr. W and I will pull out our screenshots and reminisce about when we first met, the way other couples visit the Starbucks where they first caught one another's eye. Maybe we'll tell stories to our grandnieces and nephews about how we started falling in love on two old MacIntosh computers. Maybe we'll laugh in our rocking chairs when we find out that only 20% of relationships begin in real life vs. online.
Until then, I wish everyone happy, lucky dating and bid a sad goodnight to my beloved Yahoo!.
10 comments:
This post brings a smile to my face. A smile because I was a trailblazer in the online dating world, beginning with Match.com back in 2000 or so. A smile because Sweets and I met through Match.com (and we all know where that ended). And a smile because I adore you and Mr. W together and it makes me smile that the two of you also met online. You know an industry is getting big when it's big enough to consolidate!
Oh I remember when I was on Yahoo! personals. It was around the same time I started my blog, and one of my other blog friends (who I'm still blog friends with) had just gotten married to a woman he met on Yahoo! And I guess that and their two dogs, and cat, and babies is a good testament to how that worked out! :)
Although I didn't meet the love of my life there (probably more because I was 25 and less because of Yahoo! personals. Just a guess) I did meet several nice, normal guys. So yeah, I'm glad the stigma is getting to be less by the year, because it should be.
aww :) this post also brings a humungo smile to my face! you know i also met my manfriend online! i love the idea of printing out the profiles we once had. just the other day i was thinking i needed to delete that account (because i still get "winks" or "tickles" or whatever they're called!)... but now im glad i haven't yet. because something like that is important to print out and keep around for years to come :)
I've heard more people say good things about Yahoo! Personals than about Match.com. It will be interesting to hear how things change for the Yahoo! Personals folks.
I had been using on line dating as my main way of meeting men since...at least 2000, maybe earlier. I remember the incredulous looks I would get when I'd say I'd put a profile up. It was an adventure! And living in a town that boasted of surfers, hippies and college students, I needed help finding the diamond in the rough. I certainly met my fair share of interesting people (man, I wish I had a blog back then!) and years later, we come to today, and I've met Mr. Darcy (thanks to on line dating!). So I'm with you on this whole heartedly. I hope that we can someday tell our grandkids about our first "meeting".
I love that you saved the screenshots of your profiles. You've got me thinking we should do the same!
Nilsa - I thought of you (and some of my other favorite bloggers) as I wrote this post. It's funny how we've all found our wonderful men online. I swear, we all need to write case studies!
Lesley - I think online dating is harder in your 20s. There are definitely fewer options in that age range. If you ever give it another whirl, you must blog about it!
Brookem - I'm a dimwit - I totally forgot you met ManFriend online! I knew Siz and Nilsa met their guys there, but I blanked on you guys. Awe...warms my heart. :)
Dingo - I did Match before I did Yahoo! and it seemed like the concentration of douche bags was higher there. I went on more dates on Match, but they were pretty much all bad ones (in that great "I gotta tell you this story!" kinda way...)
Sizzle - I thought about you and Mr. Darcy when I was writing this. I'm impressed you were in there in 2000. I didn't join until 2005. What fun it was though! Thank goodness we got good guys out of the process...
* Friends getting married this Aug. met on EH
* Very good friend is still with his partner after 7 years after being on Match
* I am married and knocked-up by the guy I met on the site-that-shall-not-be-named
I'd say those are some pretty good stats to prove the success of internet dating. Plus, back in the day, when we were in the online dating pool, nerds were plentiful. No wonder we had some luck! :)
Wanna help me find a nice one? :)
Yeahhhhhh... I.... didn't have so much luck on there myself, as you may recall from a couple of years back.
Plus, Yahoo just took over my e-mail accounts today and seem to have managed to royally screw everything up. So, yeah, Yahoo is kind of on my sh*t list today...
Good times, those internet date screeings....How I miss those. Benji the Gay Ice Skater; Waterfall Hunter; the mayor of Burbank; the scary stalker guy; the one who called in the middle of dinner in Kauai....But alas, Mr. Wonderful may someday become one of us Hetherington's, if we haven't completely traumatized him into permanent muteness. Come on Mr. W - just give me one good belly laugh, or drunken stupor and I'll be happy!!!
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