Am I already internet dating?

I know a few people who are dating online, and I must say that I always thought it was not for me. But this morning in the bath, my usual "brilliant" time, I realized that in many ways that's what every internet experience is.

For example, if you are reading my blog, we are having an internet date. If you don't know me, you are getting to. If you already do, you are finding out what's in my head today.

Since I have been able to use the internet, I have made some incredible friends through email, blogs, etc. And I have already really liked them before I met them in the real world. That's what internet dating allows you to do. Get to know someone, form your relationship with them and decide whether or not you want to meet the physical them.

In most instances, my opinions have been spot on. My very good friend Jennifer (see her blog link below) is a perfect example. I think we are soul mates, and probably were from the very first connection. But in the time I have known her, our internet based relationship formed and sustains the bond between us.
Don't get me wrong - we are thrilled when we get a chance to see one another, but the internet allows us to do that daily.

This week, Jennifer is in Nova Scotia, attending Deanne Fitzpatrick's Creativity Seminar. Her blog has allowed me to spend every day with her - or at least find out what she did every day. It's so easy, so visual, so personal and so amazing. Even long distance phone calls can't give you the same "date" as this does. (Check out her last few entries - and have a date with Nova Scotia.)

But let's take a step back even further. Every time you visit a web site and check out a new hooking supplier, or a designer, or a blogger, you are doing exactly that - "checking them out". You are going to make a decision whether or not you want to spend any more time with them. It is always a little like a first date.

The internet also lets you have dates with people you never get to see anymore. So much faster than letter writing, it lets you share pictures, stories, news, everything - but instantly and far more frequently.
Those friends that you miss are somehow closer and you get to have "dates" with them as well.

A very dear friend Barb visited my blog recently and said as a result she lost the entire afternoon. And she said it was marvelous. She drifted from my blog to my links - to Jennifer's site - to Jennifer's links
- and spent the entire afternoon speed dating a whole bunch of websites. I guess it's no different than making a date with a good book, but it somehow feels more personal.

I don't belong to any social networks like face book or my space, but my kids do and I often check out their pages to see what's new. I can imagine others doing the same - some people who know them, and some who want to.

I love being able to get to know people through email or their blogs or their websites. I think the internet allows the voice of the person to come through, regardless of how comfortable or uncomfortable they might be in a social situation in the real world.

I know it's not truly internet "dating", but I think it is pretty darn close. And it's really not such a bad thing, is it?