we speak of meeting someone online, we pick and choose based on clicks

they might as well be avatars, they are not real, we suspect some are fakes, bots

some represent themselves as something they’re not, looking for one thing but indicating another

lost are the individual characteristics of handwriting, doodling on notes, voice tones relating questions, irony, teasing, laughter

‘lol’ are just typing characters, not laughter

the absence of feedback, immediate, verbal and non render this medium 2 dimensional at best

where is the body english? the eye contact, that’s where the heat is

no wonder profile holders are often disappointed on meeting prospects

why waste time trying to figure out if this is THE ONE? meet in neutral territory and see if you get past awkward and onto ‘this is fun’

don’t count me in or out based on the unilateral sequential interrupted messages that pass back and forth in the ozone