And it all starts with a profile.....
This may seem benign enough for most people. Cancer survivors are not most people (well with advances in science the 33% of us is slowly becoming 50% but I digress).
Step one pick a photo. Sh@t. Here is a recap of my inner monologue: Well I should really only pick pictures with short hair because I don't plan on growing my hair back. Ok, but my hair texture has only stabilized since November. And many of my short hair photos my hair is curly. Damn it. Ok I know, I know I'll just post this one:
Ha, just kidding. After more time than I care to admit, a whole lot of photocropping and trolling my own facebook page and after 14+ changes my current photo is this:
or this one, depends on the day
Step two is to answer seemingly trivial questions about yourself. I might need something stronger than chocolate. Height, body type, eye color, education. Check, is their a box for athletic with 1.75 boobs? check, check. Do you drink alcohol? Hmmm. Based on my previous experience from awkward oversharing what do I write here? Occasionally? Yes, in 9 years I might occasionally have a beer. Never? Am I going to be flagged as someone who underwent a 12 step program to help their alcohol allergy? Should this really be this hard? I select never. Because it's true.
Do you want children? Well, isn't that a pandora's box of a question. Thank you for having an "I'll tell you later" option. Is there a maybe on the 5th date you get to know this business button? Good lord, this sucks. But, I plug along.
Last Read? Easy peasy. Tina Fey, Bossy Pants.
Step three is to write your biography. I write some nonsense about baking and running and my predilection for quoting songs and movies. What a really want to write in all caps is: BREAST CANCER SURVIVOR. SO YES, I AM AWESOME. AND PLEASE DON'T EVEN TRY TO TOUCH MY RIGHT BOOB. Perhaps too much honesty? Not to worry, I do not write any of that. I trudge along to step four.
I pay money for this thing to be posted on the interweb. Actual money. Money that could be spent on more chocolate chips. But, after many conversations with a good friend about how being a cancer survivor means you continually try to keep things off the "I wonder what would have happened if I did this" list and A LOT of encouragement I paid the money. And it got posted out into the world.
After my profile got posted, nothing happened. I got the occasional wink from a creeper. Dude, your 67! 67, how did you even get my profile! I send out a fair amount of e-mails to people I find interesting. And then I am thankful for perspective. Waiting to see if a boy is going to respond to an email you sent him? Cake walk, when you've waited two weeks to find out the genetics of your cancer and if you are going to need chemo. However, after 20+ emails sent out and a great online feature that let's you know that people have in fact viewed your profile and not responded I needed a break from the site. And some chocolate chips and good for the soul weekend trips with encouraging women. After these trips, I got back on this site. A nice man sent me an email and we went out on a couple of dates. And that was it.
And so I'll "just keep swimming" and putting the effort to make this a real try. Until my subscription runs out. And hope, that no future suitors google me and find this site. Well, until after the "I've had cancer" date.
Ugh sounds like a shit show. But putting yourself out there puts you out in the universe and hopefully that "it comes along when you least expect it" rule kicks in and you meet some adorable guy who realizes how AWESOME and BEAUTIFUL you are while you're out running or riding the bus or, gasp, in the chocolate chip aisle of the store :) haha. I'm proud of you! Robinson and I miss you :)
ReplyDeleteYeah, I hear ya. In the past, I've gotten plenty of the "So...what KIND of Asian are you?" and "do you speak english/have an accent?" creepers...many of whom are also AARP members. Keep on keeping' on! Even the terrible dates and non-dates make for good stories ;)
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