First and foremost: Happy Mother's Day to all mothers of the world, but especially to my Stripper-Single-Mothers out there, making the dime today...
This blog post is an open letter to mothers and my own. I'd like to introduce you to dating in the present world - time passed since the Mayan Apocalypse of 2012 that brought us such devastating horror as the John Cusack film of the same name: '2012'. I shiver in dread just thinking of all the innocent bystanders forced to sit through over two hours of mindless screen time. Tragic.
Back to dating in current times, it's very different from the days when our mothers walked three miles in the snow for a date. Now, thanks to technology and over-sexed gay men, we have 'Grindr'!
"Grindr" is a Gay Male Dating/Sex Focused Networking Application that I can access from my smartphone, tablet, iPhone, or iPad. How accessible... Most often, guys sign on to this application to merely "bust a nut". On occasion, men sign up specifically for dating purposes, and on some occasions, people are just looking for friends. Nine times out of ten, you will be instant messaged in this program with the simple question: "Looking?" This is a question that the MTV program "Jersey Shore" has simplified further with the acronym "DTF?" "DTF" is short for "Down to Fuck?". This is another way of asking the question: "Looking?" This is simply asking the person on the other end if they would like anonymous sex now - as in right now.
If you respond that you are looking to date or just chat, you can be pretty sure that the conversation will end there. I generally sign on to "Grindr" specifically to pass the time. I'm often a recluse, hiding in my apartment, stoned in bed - with my puppy, staring at the Television. Often times, a tub of ice cream and the remains of delivery food are in bed with us. For this reason, "Grindr" is merely a social networking tool for me. It connects me to other gay men outside of my secluded home without making any possible effort to go meet someone. This is the lazy person's solution to sex and dating. I am not shitting on this application however, since I've been using it for 3 plus years and have not stopped yet. I'm just aware of my own laziness with the application. Perhaps if you meet as many people as possible on this application, you are not lazy at all, but I am often the true definition. And I'm okay with this.
I most often go on this application to chat. It passes the time and I can get drawn into a conversation easily. If someone chats with me and conversation moves to sex and dirty pictures, I will happily engage and participate. The probability of us meeting up to engage in any sort of activity is pretty close to hopeless. I have met my share of men online, but it's not very common. Chatting can go on for ages for me, though. I enjoy the sexual nature of many of these interactions. It satisfies me from afar. Due to a long list of sexual issues and "ticks", it's often more pleasant to please myself and engage with people at a distance versus meeting in person. If someone does approach me on "Grindr" with intent to chat, hopeful to date in the future, I will often entertain the prospect, but given my experience with the program, those that are online just to "date" are generally socially flawed and it never works out.
Given my explanation of "Grindr" and it's purposes for me, I hope I've explained the application well and given it some brand of justice. It's the Ashley Dupre' of dating venues: Overpriced yet cheap (they now charge for membership), easy, and looked down upon by most. The only difference is that Elliot Spitzer could have found sex for free on 'Grindr'.
Most people I know look down on 'Grindr' and believe it has taken the holy staple of a one-night stand away from closing time at gay-bars. That being said, if you're in their city close to 2 am on a weekend, you'll probably see said friends signed in with the title "LOOKING?"
Primarily used for sex in the beginning (and still today), 'Grindr' has evolved into a dating venue to rival Match.com, with more socially awkward and demented individuals. I can say - proudly - that I have dated many a loser from this application. Socially incompetent, without a job, no prospects, a speech impediment, and any other short comings generally lead to a date with me...
In these updated times of online dating with such avenues as Match.com, eHarmony.com (the anti-gay, yet overly gay dating site), and now Grindr, you may never know how your friend scored the weirdo brought as their date to your dinner party...
One of these days, I hope for full equality and honesty, so I'm sure there will be a day in the future that you introduce your new boyfriend to your mother on her birthday:
"Hi Mom, this is Joe. We met on 'Grindr'. He was 'looking'..."
Thoughts or opinions?
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