In this postmodern technological age where coffee shops have free Internet zones, Blackberries have replaced the traditional Playa’s black book, and hookups and even break-ups are done on Yahoo and MSN instant chat, the dating landscape sure has evolved since New Edition sang “Mr Telephone Man.”
One of those great modern tools is the good old Google search engine. I originally thought that I belonged to a fringe group of “Google daters” who always made a point of Googling potential dates.
But as I discussed this habit of mine with people at various parties and get-togethers, I came to realize that we are a whole nation of serial Googlers!
No wonder Google’s stock is such a good investment. People Google everything and “everyone.”
It’s amazing how Googling a date prior to meeting them can give you an advantage. Not only can you catch people in a lie but, should you be so inclined, you can appear much more attuned to your date’s interests and tastes than you would ordinarily be going in blind.
But you have to be careful about being too specific about what you know. The last thing you want is to come across as an obsessed freak with way too much time on your hands.
But once in a while, I like dropping a Google bomb in the middle of a date just for effect. I still remember the look of amazement on a date’s face when I “somehow” knew that she had sued one of her university professors for discrimination. Hey, that was great information. It told me that she stands up for what she believes in.
The scariest Google story I have, though, is when an older man in the corporate sales department at work came up to my desk to congratulate me on something I wrote on the Internet. Turns out he had no idea I was a writer and thought it was very cool. My question is: “What the heck was dude doing Googling me anyways!”
Anyhow, I never really asked him … I just don’t want to know.
Moral of the story is, with all the serial Googlers out there, you never know who’s Googling you.
