The More Boys I Meet...The More I Love My DOG

Match.com has these new ads on TV where they say that (and I paraphrase even though I have seen the ad a good 50 times by now) in today's dating scene we are more likely to meet a partner online than at "bars, parties, and other social events combined". Confused by this statistic and the idea that this could possibly be true, I examined my friends' relationships for evidence. All I found were counterexamples as 100% of my friends met their boyfriends in real life, through friends, at bars, in a class, in their dorms, in their jobs, etc. Then, I went a step further and thought about my sisters' friends and here, I only found one example of online dating success (you know, the kind that Eharmony would love in their commercials as they are now engaged), but still, one example of success does not overpower the other 25 examples of non-online meeting. Therefore, I am now completely confused by this commercial. Did they invent this statistic (a la false advertising or the scientific studies that are skewed by the pharmaceutical companies themselves to show good data) or am I completely missing something?? Do I just hang out with people who do not have to resort to online dating (and so there is this HUGE world out there creating this statistic that I have never met?), or is it really so common now that it is not even something you "resort to" any more?

Now, I am not one to judge an online dater, as I was told to try it out before and I did, but I definitely did not find it a successful way to meet a "match" or even a new friend. If anything, the "flirting" and random get to know you e-mails are awkward, and the only 2 people I ever met were so much...how do I put this nicely....UGLIER in person (not that I only am interested in looks...but honesty would be nice) and our actual interactions were completely uncomfortable. I will admit that it is nice to get a meal paid for by a guy for once and to go on "actual dates"(the perks of online dating?), since those seem to be missing in today's society, but I still would much rather meet someone through a friend or in medical school. Here's to hoping that this is still possible and that these commercials are not really a magic 8 ball predicting the future of dating in the entire U.S., and well, for me.

Oh, and on a different, but incredibly awesome love-related note, today is my parents' wedding anniversary. They met, IN PERSON (not like online dating was an option back then, but still), 39 years ago, and are still very much in love today. I consider them to be my beacon of hope for a successful marriage, and for finding that person I actually want to spend 39 years of my life looking at and talking to every day. Happy Anniversary folks...You make me still believe in that fairy tale kind of love and I thank you for that:)