Valentine’s Day in the 21st century
Internet takes its place playing cupid.
Love online is the way to find that special someone and online dating services are heating up. Not only are millions sending Valentine greetings over the computer, the way to meet people is taking a high tech turn this year. There is no reason we won't see this type of dating in the future.There are more than 250 inter-relationship Web sites available to for online dating services. These are sites where you can meet the love of your life, and sites that are changing romance of the future. Joe Schwartz, author of "The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Online Dating and Relating" says that 80 to 90 million single American’s are on line.It used to be you would meet people at work, or school but now the meeting ground is the entire World Wide Web.''It's expanding the dating pool.... People are no longer limited to work and peer groups,'' Schwartz told the Associated Press.
Are you a Jewish vegetarian? No problem. There's the Jewish Vegan/Vegetarian Singles site. Looking for a Muslim husband or wife? Visit the Muslim Matrimonial Link. Lost your love and your hearing aid? Try the personal section at Deaf World Web Talks.
One of the most popular sites, Match.com, boasts over three million users worldwide. Others include Matchmaker.com, Yahoo.com, and Excite.com. A monthly fee of about $15 gives the user a chance to post a personal profile and get discreet e-mails from new e-pen pals.
It worked for Midwesterners Karl and Nia John. Karl, 41, met his wife and ''soulmate'' on-line after placing an ad on the Web site People2People.com.
He was living in rural DeKalb, Ill., where he had exhausted conventional
means of meeting the woman of his dreams. Nia lived 198 miles away
in Berlin, Wis. Their profiles were ''automatched'' by the Web site
meaning their choices of things like location, interests, and personality
lined up.
Nia got off to a bad start, accidentally addressing Karl as ''Kurt''
in her first e-mail. But Karl persevered and soon they were exchanging
views about favorite bands and their shared love of the Green Bay
Packers.
Eventually the couple got together for a face-to-face meeting. A
month later, Karl's job changed, and they moved in together in her
town in Wisconsin. They were engaged on Valentine's Day last year
and married in November.
''The Internet is a safer way to get to meet (people). You can get
to know them first,'' says Karl. He calls computer dating ''God's
miracle of technology.''
Source: Associated Press
