Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Question of the Day: Do you feel dating etiquette is a thing of the past?

We've all either experienced dating calamities or know people who have. In this singles business I know I've heard more horror dating tales than I can shake a stick at. One that stands out in particular is a database member who met a man online who offered to fly her down to San Antonio, Texas for a relaxing weekend get-away at an upscale hotel. He had her put all of the expenses on her credit card while promising to pay her back once she left to go back home. Well, as I'm sure you can surmise, the check was never written and after coming home, her calls to his cell phone were repeatedly, and conveniently, dropped due to "bad cell service". Yikes!

Another male member told me that he showed up at a restaurant to meet his online date and when she walked right by him at the bar, he literally didn't recognize her. He said when she approached him asking him his name, he was so tempted to tell her it wasn't him. He was highly annoyed and said it was the longest dinner he'd ever sat through.

Well, call me Pollyanna, and while there are some rotten apples in the bunch, I hold steadfast to the belief that the cream always rises to the top. I'll admit it, since my divorce I've dated a lot. Okay...a ton! And I have to say, 99.8% of my dates have been pleasant, respectful and courteous. And even though the lot of these gentlemen ultimately may not have ended up being "the one", on the whole, I truly do believe that dating etiquette not only still exists, but in a changing world, evolving.

Times have changed and with the invention of online dating, Blackberries and Iphones, dating services and newly formed singles clubs, I find that people are more encouraged to get out of their comfort zones and to take charge of their "singlehood". Women are more assertive in approaching men, albeit sometimes behind a phone or computer, and better able to go for what they want. Many of my female clients are in a financial position where they offer to split the tab or to even pay for it altogether. Now that's class! And men, I find, are more open to hearing about how women like to be treated on dates and asking questions about their feelings on such social sites like Facebook and Myspace.

C'mon, let's not give up hope people! I meet thousands of individuals from all walks of life and even though times are changing (they always have been), I do still believe that people, on the whole, are inherently good natured, caring and compassionate.

1 comment:

  1. -Well written, accurate and in agreement. Good luck in your search finding your match!
    PS. you know who to ask if you ever want to hear weird and crazy dating stories. haha

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