By Suzann Dodd, ContributorFROM THE earliest days of BBSing, (logging on to computers running Bulletin Board Services) cybersex was always an option.
From conversations in private chatrooms to email, moving up into the Internet with porn sites and those dedicated to assisted masturbation, the idea of 'talking dirty' was a click away.
Entrepreneurs have capitalised on this with the on-line dating services. From spam to pop-ups, one can't be on the Internet and not have received invitations to join these services. Most are partially free. From those which allow you to register and search their listings but if you wish to send a message or read the ones you've been sent you have to pay, to those which give you five days or so access. I think vibesconnect.com is totally free.
Now it's kind of interesting to visit these cyberdating sites to sort of see what's on offering. There are those which give a long list of questions so as to match you to another, but considering I must be unique, no match comes anywhere near close.
Others claim to match but outside of being of the opposite sex, (unless you've ticked homosexual then the same sex) the power of the computer to make comparisons doesn't seem to be utilised.
Vibesconnect has local involvement so you could actually meet those who post, if you want to. Some people post photos they claim are theirs which is suspicious because folks who are that perfect wouldn't need a dating service.
ENCOUNTERS
I know people who have tried the service and had real life encounters. I wouldn't want to meet anyone I've communicated with in life or death, so experiences differ.
It can be really 'safe' unlike actually going out on a date with someone you haven't met as you can always disconnect if the person gets too disgusting or simply stop responding to their email.
If one is thinking about actually meeting, a public place during the day is the best idea. One can always pick a venue easy to escape from. For example, during your lunch hour you could meet at a fast food joint, just to see how gruesome the person is.
If by some miracle they aren't, a second date can be arranged for dinner at another busy spot.
Remember, one gets a lot of opportunities to lie on-line, not as many in real life.
Suzann Dodd is a writer and an
attorney.
