I promised my friend Dorothy I’d start writing here. I’ve been blogging on that beloved old crone Livejournal for nine (NINE!) years…but recently those blogs have been almost entirely friends-only or totally private. Not sure what that means—whether I’m generally more aware of online privacy issues or I’m saying things I know would anger people. Both, perhaps.

So, anyway. Dorothy has recently begun using OKCupid, and she’ll be writing wittily and elegantly about her experiences. I have many a fun story—though none of the horrific tales you hear about ‘round the net. Online dating! It’s an ongoing saga (although I haven’t been on a date with a new person in a few months).

What bothers me most is the stigma that still surrounds online dating services. When lamenting to my friend the most bizarre social situation of which I’ve ever been part (which, yes, has to do with OKCupid), she said, “Well, do you think it’s possible people like this are the only ones who hang out on OKCupid?” No, dick, because I’ve been on OKCupid for years. And I’m not “like this,” whatever that means.

Almost everyone I know who’s been married in the last few years has utilized the internet in some form in their courting rituals. MySpace played a part. Facebook played a part. Many of these marrieds wouldn’t have been able to look each other up or even remember the other existed without social networking. And yet they give me shit about dating online.

Anyway, I’m here. I’m writing. I’m also writing at California Literary Review. I also still write over on Livejournal. Different tones, different personas, different people. Schizophrenic blogging is the name of the game?

I’ll be back to regale you with tales of online dating.