I Can See You

With the advent of Google, FB, and LinkedIn, us single ladies are able to scrounge cyberspace for dirt on potential dates. 

If the target has managed to squeak by with a "clean" rap sheet, there may come up in ensuing conversation tidbits one is now privy to. Frankly, my searching skills are less than competent, so rarely has this been an issue, but I would, personally, play dumb as to certain details, feigning interest and enlightenment. 

As Henry Alford expounds, there are pros and cons to googling before meeting. 

In my case, it sometimes reinforces a negative impression. It has often occurred that I am handed a fellow's info, which I find less than impressive, perhaps a tad disturbing, but that vibe was superficially inferred from reading between the lines. A quick gander on FB is usually helpful in deciding whether to date or dump. 

I will take this moment to encourage single men to put flattering photos of themselves on FB, such as a lovely head shot bearing a fresh haircut while wearing a tie. I am not impressed by mugging at the camera while being high on Purim, nor an "entertaining" shot of a beast of burden, nor, even worse, a full-length involving Bermuda shorts.

And if your "likes" include whiskey, WWF, or speeding, at least be savvy enough to erect unbreakable privacy settings.

Often a dashing profile picture and an inability to check further photos is what squashes my misgivings. In the end, the less we can know, the better.