I’ve been single for eight of the last nine years. It feels like forever! I’ve tried about every online dating app there is, and I’ve had some great dates and disastrous dates, but I still haven’t found “the one.” Once, on a second date, I refused to kiss a guy because I wasn’t feeling an attraction. He was apparently so distraught about my lack of affection that he wrote my boss a long letter about me and it was full of lies! These things happen. It’s all par for the course when online dating, but a few courageous people seem to beat the odds and find their special someone online. These are the stories of some local couples that have found their partner online.
Faylene and Charles Taylor
Faylene and Charles met on Craigslist! I guess it’s not all scams and phishing schemes after all! Faylene was just looking for a friend, so she posted in the “Strictly Platonic” section of Craigslist. She and Charles began communicating and eventually met at Starbucks. Not long after that, they went to the Kite Festival in Long Beach and had a blast. They were still staying platonic until Charles introduced her to his two kids. She fell head over heels in love with his children, and three years later, they have one of their own! Congratulations Faylene and Charles! They are living happily ever after in Astoria.
Justin and Bridget Linville,
Justin and Bridget met in September of 2016 on Christian Mingle. Bridget said she chose to use Christian Mingle because she thought it would be more likely that prospective dates would share her values and spiritual beliefs. Apparently, Christian Mingle has a comprehensive “About me” section that helps you get to know more about the other person before you reach out. She had searched for her special someone for two years and had actually logged on to Christian Mingle to delete her account when Justin’s profile popped up. He really got her attention, so she sent him a quick “like.” For Justin, it was his first time on Christian Mingle, but he liked her back. They’ve been married for just over two years now.
Mark and Faith Bauer
This is the story of my brother Mark who tragically lost his two young sons to a genetic disease, and not long after that, he and his wife divorced. After his divorce was final, he logged onto AOL on his birthday and started chatting with Faith. That was in 1999. A few days later, he had to leave Washington State to do a job in New Orleans, and he ended up flying Faith from her home in Tennessee to meet him in New Orleans. They were married just a few weeks later! When my mom heard the news, she freaked out! She was sure he was rebounding and making a huge mistake. They’ve now been married for over twenty years!!
Kai Raden
Kai and her husband met on Plenty of Fish (POF). She was dating someone else that she met online and had a gut feeling he was fishing for other dates and not being honest with her, so she made a fake profile to see if he would reach out. Well, he did! So, she immediately broke it off him, but Eric also contacted her. She liked what she saw in Eric so explained the situation and who she really was, and three weeks later they went on their first date. One of her friends insisted she go along as a chaperone to assure her safety, but after just a short time she got the thumbs up from her friend and they were left alone to enjoy the date. A few months later they moved in together, and a few years ago they moved to Astoria. He bring her Chai tea in bed every morning, and they couldn’t be happier.
As inspirational as these stories are, there are some disadvantages to online dating. Sometimes you spend hours, days, or weeks chatting with someone, only to go on a date and find out there is no attraction. You also have to be vigilant of scammers. I know someone that gave her online long-distant boyfriend $50,000 and never heard from him again!
There are plenty of fake profiles and questionable characters online. That means you have to be wise and ask good questions. Pay attention to the details to see if their stories add up. Google them and check out all their social media profiles. When you do meet, make sure it’s at a public place and tell someone where you’re going and when you return. Be careful about giving out personal details before someone earns your trust, or they may end up calling your boss and causing you drama!
For the couples above, the pros definitely outweighed the cons. We at Clatsop News are so happy that they found love online and wish we them all the best. Happy Valentine’s Day everyone! May your hearts be filled with love!
