Home | Business | Dating | Search Tips | Reviews | Forums
Is there Etiquette for Contacting People Found on People Search Sites?
I would love to open this article with a quote from the 1999 hit movie "The Matrix," but that would make this article a lot more awkward than it needs to be.
First, I would like to be very specific about the type of search I am about to discuss. It does not matter what circumstances or conditions led up to the event (none of my business), but it happened-you looked up an old flame on a people search site and now you want to contact them. However, how can you contact them without seeming desperate, awkward or completely mental?
The general consensus around the PSN office is that looking up an old flame on the internet ranks right up there with drunk dialing. The Urban dictionary defines "drunk dial" thusly:
Therefore, before looking up an ex-girlfriend or love interest from your past there are some key points to consider:
- Time is not the great equalizer. Since you used a people search service to locate your old flame, chances are you have not spoken to them in quite a while. During this time, they could have married, got engaged, had a family or built a life they have come to thoroughly enjoy,-all without you.
- Memories tend to fade over time. Sure, you may have vivid memories of you and your Juliet running arms open towards each other in a pristine alpine meadow, but don't assume she has the same memories. She may have even forgotten about you entirely.
- It is all a matter of perspective. The value of your relationship may be viewed differently by others. Perhaps you look back on the relationship you had with the subject of your search as particularly formative or life altering. For all you know, he could be 6 years sober and look back on your relationship as one of the triggers for his long bout with alcoholism.
- The timing could be wrong, very wrong. Perhaps the interest of inquiry just had a baby and it is her first day home from the hospital. Her, her husband and various family members are sitting around the living room admiring the baby, having a real family moment. Just then, the phone rings and it's you. AWKWARD!
Read Full Article... | Comments (0) | Posted on Oct 19, 2008
Blind Dating with MySpace.com
I performed a search on MySpace.com to see how many people within 10 miles of my zip code were:
1.) single/divorced, 2.) between 25-55, and 3.) simply looking for dating.
The results for my search were maxed out at over 3,000. There are plenty of people out there in my city and (even better for a guy like me who does not drive) in my zip code, who would like to meet someone “nice.” However, there are also a million liars, cheats and scumbags out there who would love to be whoever it is you are looking for. I’m sure there are hundreds of these fraudulent individuals living in my zip code; unfortunately this is not a search option.
I am the first one on the paranoid train when it comes to believing any email coming from a stranger on my MySpace page. Those friendly faces and compliments can start chipping away at your personal safety wall, and once this starts to happen, you may be on the fast track to friendship. This isn’t always a bad thing though as everyone enjoys meeting a new friend. This is especially true if you have decided that you are tired of the single and cynical life and would actually like to meet someone offline for drinks or dinner. However, as with life, everyone may not be who they seem. Therefore, before I meet someone from MySpace, I like to do my research. Personally, it would be best to at least know if this person really did grow up in my hometown of Bountiful Utah, or if their divorce was actually filed last year.
How can you protect yourself room these dishonest scam artists? One way to fight back is through online people searches. I have many friends that once they have crossed the point of just chit chatting online, begin probing their potential MySpace connection for personal information. This information can then be verified through a people search service.
Read Full Article... | Comments (2) | Posted on Oct 08, 2008
Is your Boss a Criminal or Possibly Even a Drug Addict?
See who Really is Calling the Shots at Work.
Last week, I was telling my supervisor about an old boss that I used to have who was pretty eccentric. Even if you didn't know him, you could just tell by looking at him that he was up to something shady. Additionally, he lived in a separate apartment away from his family during the week and spoke of a new business that he was starting, yet he would never exactly tell you what it was. I once tried to get him to talk about his new business venture and he told me that it was based on "cat porn." Like I said, this dude was weird.
After regaling my boss with some of the legendary tales of my former supervisor, whom I shall refer to as Mr. X, he said that we had to run a background check on Mr. X. Of course, I was all for it. The results were shocking to say the least. Here are a few of Mr. X's criminal lowlights:
- 2 DUI's
- 3 meth possession convictions
- 1 conviction for distributing alcohol to minors
- 1 conviction for possession of cocaine
I was blown away by the results of Mr. X's background check. I knew he was a little crazy, but how did he even get an office job, let alone a supervisory position? It actually was a little startling, to tell you the truth. However, I now am even more of a believer in background checks for your co-workers, especially those who have some sort of power over you.
Read Full Article... | Comments (0) | Posted on Sep 19, 2008