Stop Look Me Over - The Rise of Internet Dating

Let's be honest, most people use online dating the same way they use Facebook, for creepin' people.  My shrink suggested I try Match and I did.  Of course, I'm still in a relationship with not the best guy but I'm allowed to look.  Eyes wander.  

Internet dating is not for the faint of heart.  I've tried e-Harmony, sadly around the time it was hacked so I deleted that sucker and didn't even get to enjoy the free communication weekends.  

Last week, I reopened my Match account after having it lay dormant for a while.  I looked at some of the matches selected for me and saw the winks and emails roll in.  I find that flattering, regardless of how creepy the person may actually be in reality.  I used to have an AllMSU dating profile too for the sheer fact that I needed a boost in my self esteem at such a demanding time in my life.  My boyfriend and his brother share a mutual friend that apparently is also online dating.  Kudos for him.  I was one of his matches…or maybe he just came across my profile by searching.  I wish I hadn't added those other pictures.  It was not like my profile had my name or any other unique identifiers.  Bleh!  That was a lovely conversation.  Thankfully, I had already told the significant other that if things don’t shape up I’m shipping out. 

Chemisty.com, an off shoot of match had its free communication weekend last weekend so I made a profile just to check it out.  Um EWW!  What is it with creepy men that could be my father sending me messages and winks when I gave an age range they did not fall into?  The other thing that bugs me being a person of color is that I rarely find a potential mate on those sites that says they would date an African America in their race preferences.  Maybe it’s time to try blackpeoplemeet.com.

For more one why it is difficult to figure out the dating world please see this thought catalog article.  She feels my feels.

Ring my Bell: You've Got Mail

The same way your cell phone service dictates how much money you have, your email address gives away just how much of a dinosaur you really are.  I can't tell you how many sheets I process and the email addresses are still something like sexymama69sofine@aol.com.  Now, let's not focus on how absurd the name itself is; instead, focus in on the @aol.com.  AOL hasn't been a major player in the email battle since dial up became obsolete.  Take the time to really understand what I'm putting down: having an outdated email address will make every other technological person straight up laugh at your face.

I do.  

Now I'm not saying, "well I use Gmail why can't you?"

A friend of my from the McGhetto (McDonald's) days recently got a nice office job and his boss couldn't believe he was using AOL.  There are so many options out there, hell, Apple gives you a @me.com email when you get your fancy new "i" product.  Yahoo, meh, that's acceptable I suppose.  Outlook, formerly the MSN family of email domains is even better.  Don't get caught in the stone age; Wilma and Fred have enough to deal with in Bedrock without you.

The Cost of Education vs. College Grads

Most of my peers are still paying off their student loans.  My parents were generous enough to pay for my four year stint at the best party big ten school in Michigan, Michigan State.


And I will always thank them for that.

from colorlines.com

Are you reading what I'm reading?  All the Millennials graduating  with any kind of student debt may have no hope if job creation continues to putter along.  We need more than minimum wage jobs with decent benefits to pay off the education we needed to get that minimum way job; I'm looking at you McDonald's!  I believe I heard somewhere recently that the actual minimum wage should be somewhere more like $21 and I'm pretty sure I also heard that the Obama's recently paid off their student loans.  Something has to give.  I went to college to get the skills I needed to be involved in the work force and now my outcome is just as bleak as when I graduated high school with honors.

Now what?

To Bey...or Not?

Whether or not you think Beyonce's publicity inundation is simply happening to boost her sales, one thing can be agreed on, bitch is fierce.

Her recent spike in ferocity has turned my thinking inward.

My Mom tells me about how when I was younger I would tell her I didn't want her to pick me up, I'd rather wait for my white mommy.  Point blank: that's hella offensive.

I still have issues going to look for nude underwear, make-up that matches my skin tone and I am used to being "the black friend".

I grew up in a...colorless community.  Well, maybe not colorless but certainly not colorful.  I've had issues throughout my life where I go out of my way to not appear like a stereotype.  We are talking to the point where if I was driving with my windows down I wouldn't allow rap to be played.  I've been ecstatic about the general public response to Beyonce for the sheer reason that it makes it acceptable for me to be a black woman.  Why shouldn't I admit to loving N.E.R.D.?  Why does it make me uncomfortable to admit to loving watermelon (let's be honest, everybody does)?  It has bothered me for years that people just can't seem to let me be the hodgepodge person I grew up to be?













But honestly, who hates fried chicken?