What Happened to Old Fashioned Dating?

With Valentine's Day coming up, some of you single folks may be thinking about getting back out there.

If you've been out of the dating scene for awhile, I’m here to give you a little insight.  It’s not that I have much experience with it.  But I can tell you what I've observed and what I've read, and my question is this:  What happened to dating??

Back in the day, dating was, well, dating.  You liked someone, they liked you, and you went out on a date.  You went to dinner and maybe a movie.  That was a date.  But that was then, and this is now.  And now it seems texting is the new dating.  When did that happen?  I must have missed the memo.  I admit I’m a big fan of texting.  I do it a lot, and usually it’s quicker than calling someone’s cell.  And let’s be honest.  How many of us actually answer our phones?  If I’m busy then I’m not answering my phone.  Don’t worry though.  I’ll text you back.  But the problem with texting is interpreting the text.  And if you’re painfully slow at texting (like me), by the time you hit send you have no idea what you just wrote.

And then there’s online dating.  Just the thought of it creeps me out.  Anyone can sound like the perfect date.  Everyone writes the same tired lines.  “I like long walks on the beach, sitting in front of a fireplace listening to music, blah blah blah”.  Why can’t anyone ever tell it like it is?  “Look, I’m insecure, I have no friends, and I’m really a jerk.”  At least then you know what to expect.  No surprises.  Now wouldn’t that save us all a lot of time and aggravation?

Well-meaning friends tell me I need to get back in the game.  The problem is…I was never in the game.  I never dated much,  so I don’t know the rules.  And apparently now there are no rules.  Wait a minute.  Let me get this straight.  The dating game is a game with no rules?  What could possibly go wrong?  OK, here’s an idea.  How about some rules, or at least a game plan?  Because when it comes to the dating game, I haven’t got a clue.  And if you’re in the game, good luck with that.  Keep me posted.  Here’s my number, so call me maybe…or not.