Is Everyone Online Dating Without Me? {And Other Concerns}

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So over the last few weeks I've been hearing a lot about some of my friend's online dating adventures and one of my friends is even engaged to someone she met online! However through hearing about all of their interesting and down right creepy adventures, I can't help but think that it's such unnatural way of meeting someone. Okay, before you scroll to the comment button to leave me a furious message here me out. Listen, I know that just about everyone...evvveryone is now dating online, but I can't help to think that the excitement of meeting someone serendipitously is gone. Also whatever happened to going out, (yes away from your laptop) and putting yourself out there?? Or how about being genuinely set up by friends because they think that you and this guy or girl will click based on common qualities that you both have?

I guess what I'm saying is that I don't really like the whole idea of online dating because it takes the real human experience out of it. Every guy I have ever dated has been a random encounter meeting: at a park, someone who sat next to me at a restaurant counter, at church, etc. So why can't we leave things up to fate? I think that if something is meant to happen it will so why meddle so much with destiny? Also whatever happened to courting someone you're into? You know, having someone ask for your phone number, or sending you flowers, or what have you.

Call me a traditionalist or archaic but online dating seems to take away all of the work of being with someone. Sure some or most of us would say, well that's just it, it's just too much work! Who has time to make sure their hair looks fab, dress is perfect, and kitten heels are hot to the tee 2-3 nights of the week to try and put yourself out there rather than spend that time we all can barely carve out for ourselves to dedicate to washing our hair (or do Jessi Spano and I only do that?), catching up on Girls, or working out. Trust me I hear you, but have we really resorted to people who just find nonverbal communication is the new way of communication, even in our intimate relationships? And isn't being with someone and having a relationship with someone work anyway? Not "work" in the negative way but you know effort that both of you have to make to synchronize your lives. Also doesn't online dating start you off at like "date 5" because you've already have gotten all the get to know you stuff out of the way via email, so wouldn't it seem impersonal to bring up that information in your conversation?

Well, let me close by saying I don't judge anyone who dates online, I don't hate the idea, it's just not for me. I totally get that in our busy lives it is more convenient for people to do and clearly it is successful for some however I just think that we ALL need to put our iphones, blackberrys, laptops, down for a second and go out and have real conversations with people. The one thing I LOVE about living in New York is that there are endless opportunities to do that, at museums, parks, hell I even struck up a conversation with an oh so cute guy with oh so cute Versace glasses (eye glasses are my kryptonite, dorky I know) in the check-out line at Whole Foods the other day and ended up having a conversation about being vegans! But you know those opportunities exist here and everywhere! I just think we shouldn't allow the super tech-modern  world (if that's even a word) to guide our human interactions and relationships. Us Millennials think that when a guy or girl sends us a text to set up plans that it should be applauded....whatever happened to taking more than 10 seconds to discuss plans?? So before I go off on a tangent, yes, online dating seems fine for many, just not for me. And I like it that way.

*Great NY Times article about a woman's foray into online dating
* Worried about never meeting your soul mate? Aren't we all?
*Top Dating Blogs you should be reading but aren't, this one is my personal fav, just hilarious!
*Another great NY Times article on courting.