The Google Detective

People are shit crazy these days.  Men and women - crazy doesn't discriminate.  Dating is like a minefield of crazy.  To that should you really go into dating anyone blind?  Especially if you don't have to!

Just the other day, I decided I had to buy a new washer and dryer.  What's the first thing I did?  I looked up washers and dryers online and did a bunch of research.  I looked into different manufacturers and different models.  Once I figured out which exact machine I wanted, then I did some googling to find out exactly where I should purchase such machine. Wow, so I told you all that because I was trying to illustrate a point, and just work with me here, I do have a point.  We google and use the Internet for all of our research needs.  The Internet makes research easy.  Everything is at our fingertips and it makes finding information easy.

So....

What makes it different when dating?  Shouldn't we check the "merchandise" before we "buy?" when it comes to dating?  According to me - there is no difference between researching the washer/dryer and researching the man you are going to date... up to a point.

When first scheduling a date, I like to know a man's first and last night.  To that end, I like to do a quick "background check."  It's quick, easy and painless (well, at first).  Type that name in to google, first with no parenthesis - and see what comes up.  Usually it's pretty begingh.  Usually, just the "boring stuff" comes up and the typical things you already know about him through casual conversation - his facebook account, maybe a newspaper article from his hometown.  For instance, for me a couple of things come up from the local paper from High School and College and a couple of postings I made on discussion boards long back when you still used your real name.  Nothing too exciting.

Now, personally... this is my first check.  Does anything interesting/weird/scary come up?  If not, you are good to go!  If something does, then you must dig further!!!  Try googling by his full name, nick names, hometown, home state.  Just keep looking....  If something does not feel right, there is probably something there!  If he's got the ax murder vibe - I'm sure you can find something to back that up online.  Don't get desperate and pay for any background search - that's just silly.  Anything you really need to know is readily available for free.

Now the other big question is when you meet the guy - do you fess up anything you've learned?  I say, NO!  Googling is like a dirty word, much like masturbation - we all do it, but we don't really talk about it (much).  Act like you don't know anything, but ask leading questions if you want to learn more about a particular subject matter.

Yes, now I've let out my secret, so anyone dating me is going to have to forgive me, but I will give this up for the good of everyone else out there.  So please, take my sacrifice as your own!!!

In closing, google the hell out of a person  before you meet them, it's all about safety!  And as our mother's always said - safety first!