In this business, a little cyberstalking is always in order

It's a safety thing.

At least, that's how I justify it to myself.  And, honestly - if they give me their full name, they've got to know that I'm going to google them.  And probably look them up on Facebook.  And if they don't know that, well - then they aren't following any kind of "safety first" rules, are they? 

Anyway, if they respond to one of my ads and they share their full name, I'm looking them up.  Unless I find out something really bad about them, it's not going to prevent me from continuing on, meeting them, and being open to finding true love.  Honest!  Okay, it won't prevent me from meeting them.  But true love?  That only comes every so often, and while I've learned my lesson about poo-pooing everyone on CL, I do have my limits.

For example, I received a pretty nice response from a guy who said he liked the "attitude and spirit that came through" in my post.  He was short and sweet and to the point in his first message, and of course, I responded.  The rules say I have to, but I probably would have even if the rules gave me some leeway.  We swapped a few more emails and ultimately decided we'd meet up just a few short days after I first posted my ad.  Unlike most men, this one never sent a photo.  So, in addition to wanting to be sure I wasn't about to meet a serial rapist, my google/FB search was also image reconnaissance.

Sidebar - I have some rules about posting my dates' photos - I won't do it.  Unless one of the following is true: 
1) They know about the blog and have given permission (not likely, I know).
2) I am totally and completely convinced that the photos they've sent are fake (prime example here).
3) They've posted the photo in a public venue (or publicly on their Facebook page), and I've doctored it up so you can't see any identifying features.  

I'm sorry to say that my FB search for this man, who seemed like he might be a nice guy, turned up some sketchy photos.  Photos of him and some much younger women, partying in a hot tub.  Don't get me wrong, I'm not opposed to partying in hot tubs.  I am, however, opposed to 40-something men posting photos of themselves in hot tubs with bikini-clad drunk girls who are clearly half their age.  I admit that I am even more opposed to said men posting photos of themselves being crowned by these girls' wet locks.

Yes, that's her hair.  Ick.

But, by the time I'd found this photo, I had already agreed to meet this man (who, by the way, makes a living as a karaoke DJ - who knew that was possible?  Come on!  Raise your hand if you thought it was possible to make a living at that for more than a decade!) that very evening.  Okay, okay - maybe I should have known before I'd ever cyberstalked him; maybe I should have known by the place he picked.  When I looked the bar up online to get the address, there were photos after photos after photos of people pulling up their shirts and showing off their chests.  Sigh.

Anyway, I showed up.  And so did he.  And we talked for an hour and a half or so.  Well, he talked for an hour and a half or so.  He asked me ONE question about myself.  I counted.  One.  But, he told me all kinds of things.  Too many things, and too many kinds of things:

I'm OCD and ADD, and I took a 700 point evaluation and got diagnosed with depression.  But the medicine helps.  When I take it.

I had a head explosion when I decided I couldn't take my last "girlfriend" (he used air quotes - I swear!) f***ing other men.  She told me she was dating more than just me, and I pretended I was okay with it.  But I'm a really jealous guy.  I can't handle it.  It made me crazy, so I read her email and found all these messages where she was telling them what a great f*** they were.  And I had a head a explosion.

Ugh.  You know, these are probably good things to tell someone you're dating.  But not on the first date.

Too much information.

Would you believe that the next day I had an email from him asking if I'd like to go out again?  AND - maybe I'd like to go camping with him?  Really?!?