Who has found their love through the internet?

[Inchworm]

With all the recent fallout (everyone moving in with everyone) from that one thread, I am curious. How many here have ended up with their SO, Spouse, Lover, Soulmate, etc. through the internet? Or, possibly on the verge of it?

:shrug:

:hi:

[EFerrari]

1. I met two people who would have been a good fit

and met them in the rw, too. But, I was married at the time.

[Inchworm]

3. So it does happen

that way sometimes huh?

Cool.

[EFerrari]

8. It can be okay. All the rules of safe contact apply but it

can be just fine, imho.

[datasuspect]

2. i wouldn't say love

random hook ups yes, but no love.

thanks craigslist!

[Inchworm]

5. hookups are how it starts

I assume.

:shrug:

[Deja Q]

19. Well, it starts with a rash, some scratching, a pale complexion, coughing...

then it gets worse.

:hide:

[Inchworm]

22. Hold this

:nuke:

hehe

:hi:

[LostinVA]

57. My relationship didn't start with a "hookup"

It started exactly how most "in person" ones do: flirting, friendship, moving to something more, than love.

[hippywife]

4. I did.

Married 7 mos. later and will be married 10 years a month from now.

[Inchworm]

6. Now thats what I'm talking about!

Hells yea. Hope is restored :)

:thumbsup:

[hippywife]

12. Well it may make you feel even better to know

that I was 38 and never been married and he was 43 and had been married twice before. This one took. ;)

There is hope and it usually happens when people relax and be themselves, get to know people where they are and not view them as potential mates. They stop giving off those "looking" vibes. Kinda makes people feel like they are merchandise being shopped for.

[hiaasenrocks]

7. You might not have any takers with a name like "Inchworm."

Sorry. Really, I am. I just couldn't resist the juvenile joke that jumped into my head.

[Inchworm]

9. But.. but..

Butt! hehe

:hi:

[supernova]

10. I met a couple of men here at DU

who might have been a good fit, but neither situation developed into an offline relationship.

So, I don't know. Perhaps the internet, as good as the people here are at DU, is not a good place for me to be looking for romance.

edit: more specific header. heh.

[Inchworm]

14. Hard to say

Maybe they were just fish you tossed back and you haven't found the keeper?

:shrug:

[supernova]

21. On my best days, I think that.

edit: Just to say that I don't dwell on the past. But I am .... bewildered a lot of the time by the whole idea of romantic love.

[LostinVA]

11. I'm getting married in September to Haruka

Whom I met on here.

[Inchworm]

16. Yay!

That is too cool! :bounce:

:hi:

[LostinVA]

23. I know!

[SOteric]

13. *Raises Hand*

:hi:

[Inchworm]

18. I'm happy once more!

Looks like it happens more often than I thought.

:)

[Silver Swan]

15. I did.

I met my husband on Matchmaker.com back in 1997!

[Inchworm]

20. Sweet!

I am so happy to hear all these positive answers :)

Welcome to DU btw! I'm fairly new and just going by your post count.

:hi:

[Deja Q]

17. Thought I had... twice.

The second almost seemed serendipity and it's of that occasion I still have some feelings for. You'd probably understand why if I explained in complete detail. But that is the past; one can only move forward.

[Inchworm]

27. So you are still on the market?

All these positive replies say it happens. Forward is always best.

:hug:

[Maineiac]

24. It's a great place for casual hook ups

but no easier to find that special someone than in the real world.

[Inchworm]

28. Thats my feeling on it too

internet, bar, church, the track, college.. etc

A special someone is just special wherever you meet.

:hi:

[kwassa]

25. Me.

Together 12 years, married 8 years. We were on opposite coasts.

Pre-WWW. Usenet. Unix newsreaders. No pix. 1994 when we met, 1995 when we got together.

[Inchworm]

29. Another ray of hope!

Awesome!

:hi:

[BarenakedLady]

26. Why?

Are you looking for love on the internets?

:shrug:

Be careful, there are a lot of kooks out there (or so I've heard)!

:hide:

[Inchworm]

31. In my heart

I've found her. You may or may not understand the challenge that is. What is hurting me the most is that the internet is our main way to contact at this point. We have never once touched, never held each other, never dove into each other's eyes without a monitor involved. If the internet blew up, I'd probably do something drastic. hehe

Whoa! I typed a lot! Umm, err.. does this mean my crush on you must end!?! :loveya:

I am a kook myself.

:hi:

[BarenakedLady]

36. Wow that is sweet.

I'm glad you found each other.

I'm honored to be your crush (as long as she doesn't mind!)

:hug:

[Inchworm]

37. Thanks

She doesn't mind. I'm kind of flirty on occasion, but so is she. hehe

:hug:

[LostinVA]

58. That was my relationship for the first few months

It SUCKS, but it did help us get to really know one another and learn to really communicate with each other. And, then it was hundreds of hours on the phone until we met face-to-face. But, we already knew one another. In person, we "clicked" so completely and quickly it was amazing.

[Inchworm]

70. You are right

the time spent communicating the way we are now is priceless. Sometimes I think she knows me better than I do hehe.

I don't know if you read yesturday's poem, but that what I fear on the initial meeting. Total and complete lock up. I doubt very seriously it would happen with either of us, but the thought is still there.

:hi:

[LostinVA]

75. I thought that would happen, too, but it didn't

It was the opposite -- it really felt right immediately. Although, th first hour was a little surreal -- getting used to how she looked when she laughed, etc.

[RetroLounge]

114. "the internet is our main way to contact at this point"

I can relate.

Been that way for nearly 2 years now.

If my (our) current personal debris clears up someday soon, we'll see if it works IRL also.

But for now, PM's, emails, phone calls...

RL

[fizzgig]

30. i have

the relationship is still in it's early stages, but i have a lot of hope.

in some ways, i think the relationship is a lot stronger than others i've had because we've spent so much time talking and getting to know each other. we haven't met yet, but that's going to happen in the not-too-distant future, and we've already built a good, solid foundation.

[Inchworm]

32. I'm where you are it seems

Perfect, I hope the best for you 2!

*dances*

:hi:

[fizzgig]

34. good luck to you too

:)

[leftofthedial]

33. does porn count?

[Inchworm]

35. If that is your soulmate

It takes all kinds to fill the freeway.

:rofl:

[SarahB]

38. I began dating my husband two years ago.

We were friends here (he's Finnfan) for two years before that. No relationship for a long time, just friends. We've been married since January. :D

[Inchworm]

40. Yet another ray of hope

Going to celebrate 6 months? hehe

:hi:

[lizziegrace]

39. My sister did

She was in the US and he was in England. Neither is perfect, but together, they're so good for each other. She moved over there 2 weeks before 9/11 and said that even if something happened to her husband or their relationship, she'd stay. She loves the pace of life there and it's the only home her children have ever known.

So yes, it can and does happen.

Oh, and my daughter Lelapin met ZombieNixon on this board. He's in school in IL and she's in school in OH, but they know each other better than if they'd met in real life first.

All the best to you and the object of your affections. :hug:

[Inchworm]

42. Thank you

And thank you for sharing these wonderful situations.

Oh yes, for sure the meeting of one another is a must. I can't wait! :)

:hug:

[Orsino]

41. Match.com, twelve years ago.

Dig it.

[Inchworm]

47. I'm digging it!

:hi:

[AggieGal]

43. A high school friend me someone from the internet

They got married and then divorced a couple of years later. I am not sure how long they dated before hand.

[Inchworm]

48. Forever is shorter for some

At least they tried, right?

:hi:

[pagerbear]

44. I met the Pagercub online!

Although I'd gotten dates from dating/matchmaking and hookup sites, I met my love in an online community. We had a few friends in common, and started talking, and met, and one thing led to another. We recently got engaged.

(FWIW, I had a few DU crushes and had one or two dates with a fellow DUer, too. Nothing ever came of all of that, not even a kiss!)

[Inchworm]

49. Good luck to you both!

btw, wth is fwiw? hehehe. I'm such a newbie :)

:hi:

[pagerbear]

53. FWIW=for what it's worth

[bicentennial_baby]

45. Me!

Sniffa and I are coming up on 2 years since we started talking, and it's been about 1.5 years since we've been together, getting married in July. :)

[Inchworm]

50. Heres to ya!

:hi:

[LostinVA]

59. Whatever, Bridezilla

[bicentennial_baby]

60. You're one to talk, Hitler...

:eyes:

:hi:

[LostinVA]

62. I know!

The dresses are being ordered this morning, btw!

[scarlet_owl]

46. We met on Yahoo! personals in 1999. We have been married

nearly seven years.

[Inchworm]

51. Too neat!

another success!

:hi:

[NightWatcher]

52. been there, done that, lost a house

Now I am blissfully single :)

[Inchworm]

55. oh dear

Glad you are blissful hehe. Out of all these responses there has to be one where someone lost a house.

:yourock:

[terrya]

54. I did

Very happy about it

[Inchworm]

56. Cool Beans!

:hi:

[no name no slogan]

61. Here's another

I've met a couple people through the internet, and have had relations with both of them. I'm currently with somebody I met on a dating site, and we're getting "serious" (went shopping for engagement rings this past weekend).

And as you can see from the previous replies, it does happen.

[Inchworm]

67. very nice!

yes, I didn't realize it until I started thread, but it does indeed happen.

:hi:

[matcom]

63. I fell in love with Ted Stevens

and his glorious tube :rofl:

[Inchworm]

72. You can sure pick em!

Did you two decide to only talk about politics when you wanted to fight before the make-up?

:rofl:

[stuntcat]

64. not me but

But a few years ago I introduced two people in California who I'd met on Yahoo chat and thought would make a couple. I hooked them up and they met for a date and now they've been married for 4 or 5 years. I went to their wedding on the beach in LA, they introduced me to family as the one who got them together.
They used to say they were gonna someday name a baby after me but I sorta hope they won't :evilgrin:

[Inchworm]

73. A matchmaker!

that would be cool to have a namesake!

:hi:

[Rhythm]

65. Oktoberain and i met in a chatroom 8+ years ago...

We exchanged ICQ numbers, and talked for hours every day for months.

A few months later, she came up with a friend to visit (she lived in western VA, i was in central NY) --supposed to only be for a couple of days, but a car breakdown made it into a week-- and that was pretty-much that. We were smitten.

2 weeks later, on July 4th, she moved in with me!

The rest, as they say, is history! :-)

[Inchworm]

78. Awww -sweet story

:hi:

[ForrestGump]

66. Me

Especially relative to that bit about being on the verge. Including near misses.

But there are many flavors of love. And just when you think you're done you're liable to go and stumble across the best of them all...except I'm not sure it's an accident when you do.

We live in hope. :-)

[Inchworm]

80. Stumble is true

We kind of collided into each other hoping. hehe

:hi:

[WindRavenX]

68. meet my fiance on a Yankees web board

Been two years of bliss :D

[Inchworm]

81. Well you know she likes baseball!

that's always a plus :)

:hi:

[BuddhaGirl]

69. hubby and I met in an AOL chat room in 1996

he was living in the SF Bay area, me in Southern CA.

I moved to the Bay Area in the summer of 1997, we married in 1998 and are still going strong! Hooray for the internets!! :-)

[Inchworm]

83. The internets rule!

I'm happy for you both!

:hi:

[GirlinContempt]

71. If by love you mean nailing hot punk rock musicians...

not I.

[Inchworm]

84. not so hot cellists?

:)

[soleft]

74. Planetout - five years this Nov.

[Inchworm]

87. Super!

and the positive stories abound!

:hi:

[LeftyMom]

76. I did.

I think there are a few neat advantages to starting a relationship that way:

1. Either you get along or you don't. You have to talk, you can't get by on pheromones.

2. It's easier to find somebody who shares your interests when you have a much broader pool.

3. Getting to know eachother without contrived "dates" eliminates so much pressure.

[bicentennial_baby]

86. So true, especially numbers 1 and 3...

I never thought about it that way, and you're quite correct. :)

[Inchworm]

88. I agree

A good romp can sway your judgement. Im happy she and I have met this way.

:hi:

[skygazer]

77. Well, indirectly

I met a guy on the Internet back in '96 or '97 and we became good friends. He was in California and I was in Vermont but he always told me if I ever wanted to try it out here, I could stay at his place.

So one day, when I'd been laid off from my job with no prospect of another, I got my dogs in the car, threw a bag of clothes in and with $300 and a beat-up VW, I drove to California. I called him in about Nebraska to let him know I was on my way. :P

Met him for the first time at the gate to his place. Lived there (platonically) for two years until I met my current SO who I've been with for 6 years.

So if it wasn't for the Internet and my friend who I met on it, I never would have met my SO. Does that count?

[Inchworm]

89. Interesting twist

Almost like moving in with an Army buddy.

It counts if you ask me hehe :thumbsup:

:hi:

[WhollyHeretic]

79. I did. We are going to be married in October

:D

[Inchworm]

90. I wish you 2 the best!

:hi:

[PeaceNikki]

82. I met a guy, moved in with him and he turned super psycho looney...

after 2 years of trying to get rid of him, I kicked him to the curb - literally and figuratively. He hooked up with another chick on the internet. I think they've since split.

I met another guy who I really hit it off with... however, the distance got in the way. After about a year, I realized I'd never relocate to him and he'd never relocate to me, so we split peacefully.

[Inchworm]

92. I hope you didn't lose a house

like Nightwatcher mentioned upthread.

The distance is a killer. To me its like someone else said here. You can get a good feeling about the person and then decide if you want to take it further. Not much different than meeting someone anywhere else except on internets you are almost obligated to communicate.

:hi:

[PeaceNikki]

112. Nope, I still have my house. I lost a bit of dignity, but it's all come back.

:D

[NaturalHigh]

85. I had a few internet "hookups" before I was married.

Obviously it wasn't love, since my wife and I met the old-fashioned way.

[Inchworm]

93. Old fashioned?!

You mean you met, hung out, talked, realized you had feelings for her then acted on the feelings? :D

:hi:

[NaturalHigh]

94. That would be it.

We also dated for two years before we were married.

[NewJeffCT]

91. I met a lot of good women, and my ex-wife, on the internets

Weird thing. Before I met my ex-wife online over 10 years ago, I had met quite a few women from online. All of them - to a woman - were not very honest about themselves. Some about their appearance, and others about other things (marital status being one)

My ex was really the first woman I met that was honest about her appearance and herself.

Then, as soon as she filed for divorce, I started hitting the chatrooms again and, weirdly enough, I met a lot of nice, intelligent women that seemed to be pretty honest about themselves, too. And, a few of these women were downright gorgeous physically, too. Almost to the point where I'd be pinching myself thinking, "why is this Goddess with me?" or "Why is she single?"

[Inchworm]

96. Times have changed?

I heard so many stories similar to your first scenario that I often wondered how often it happened. I know two people in real world that has gone through that. Type, type, type, meet.. nope still not what was expected. One of them is with a girl now that he met on internet and it was different because they swapped hella pictures I guess.

Think digital cameras lessened the chance either party would blow smoke up the other's butt?

:hi:

[NewJeffCT]

99. i think that is part of the reason

The first woman I met from online was like in 1993 or 1994... she told me that she was 5'6" 125, really big chest - even used the words "built like a brick shithouse"

She sent me an actual face shot via "snail mail"

Turns out in person she was a few inches shorter and way heavier than she had claimed. The chest claim was accurate, however. And, it turns out, she claimed she was separated from her husband... but, oddly, they still lived together. And, she didn't mention that she had a 1 year old, either.

And, before anybody jumps on me for not liking her because she was heavy - I had dated (and dated afterwards) women that were built similarly. It was just that she had been dishonest about so many things (she smoked, too!)

The odd thing was - my ex-wife sent me a pic via snail mail, too... and I remember thinking about the pic, "not bad," but not being overly impressed. However, because we got along so great on the phone, I took the chance to meet her in person - and she looked way better than her pic.

But, after that, I think you're right. Digital cameras, JPGs, webcams, etc started becoming more common in '99 or 2000. I think it was a bit trendy at the time, too. I mean, I met a couple of women where I was thinking, "How did I get so lucky to have a woman like this with me tonight?"

[Inchworm]

101. Yea its not judging

My friend said it would have made no difference what the woman looked like. It was the fact that she didn't look very much like she described. He too got a head shot in snail mail. This was 1996ish.

:)

[NewJeffCT]

102. Needless to say

I've never looked at the phrase "built like a brick shithouse" or "outhouse" the same since. Even that song, "Brick House" is not quite so catchy to me anymore.

Hard to believe it was such a long time ago... and, so many things have changed in my life since that time. Marriage, divorce, remarriage, fatherhood, etc. Heck, I think I moved out of my parent's house around that time as well.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

95. i met my current SO on friendster

i also broke up with an SO for someone i met on DU

[Inchworm]

98. The more I read these posts

the more I think the internet is a super huge tavern chain. Folks don't always stay together in tavern relationships either, and they also may just go to another bar. It's not much different. :)

:hi:

[underpants]

97. matcom is such a $&%#*&^ tease

:grr:

[Inchworm]

100. are you using your wiles?

:hi:

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

103. Me!

I'm marrying her on New Year's! :bounce:

[NewJeffCT]

104. good luck to both of you

congrats on your impending marriage.

[Inchworm]

105. Thats gonna be some party!

Good luck to you both!

:hi:

[Sock Puppet]

106. Me.

I found my mate online. I never thought there would be a match for me, but one day, there she was.



And I never even knew I was looking for her.

[Inchworm]

109. Shes a cutie!

Mine likes to play dress up :)



:hi:

[tandot]

107. I've met my sweety on Match.com in 2002 and we are getting married this September.

:hi:

[Inchworm]

110. Best wishes!

:hi:

[Ariana Celeste]

108. I did

I met my SO in chat when we were teenagers. We've been on and off since then. I also met my ex in chat.

[Inchworm]

111. Awesome!

That supports my "internet is one super huge tavern chain" theory. :)

:hi:

[Ariana Celeste]

113. lol, you could put it that way

In some cases it works, in others it doesn't- just like in 'real life'. One thing I commonly hear regarding meeting people on the net, is that on the net you can be anybody. Yes, that's true- there are tons of liars on the net. But you will meet just as many in 'real life'. The only difference there is they can't lie about their appearance.

I met both of these guys in interest-related chats. And I've made many good friends on the net that I may not have met in person- but I love them all dearly. Most of them I've known for several years. Knowing each other online- and meeting both of the guys I've been involved with- we were able to spend all that time talking and getting to know each other. I'll take sitting down and having a nice long talk over dinner & a movie *anytime*. :)

[Sgent]

115. Both my parents

met their new SO (after their divorce) using match.com. Both have been in 4+ year relationships with them.