Hear is you’re dating colum that your going to read.
You may have noticed the opening sentence was a disaster. There were spelling errors, and incorrect use of “your” and “you’re.” Normally, Kamloops This Week editor Christopher Foulds would have made the necessary changes, before it appears in the paper. Chris is like a house cleaner for words. He is in charge of the final content of what you see in the finished product of the paper. I always send him my columns to do some last-minute dusting, tidying and polishing, so that it will be worthy for you to read.
I am fairly decent at spelling and writing, but I have to confess that, when I text my friends, I take the easy way out. I say “B4” instead of “before,” “FB” instead of “Facebook,” and “CU” instead of “see you.”
Over years of reading dating profiles, one thing is abundantly clear: women and men are wired differently. Men have never once said it is important to them a woman has a good grasp of the English language and has correct use of grammar. Women, on the other hand, say it is a big turn off for them when a man sends them emails with spelling and grammar mistakes.
I was cruising around on some of the online dating apps and some of the profiles are cringe-worthy. It is bad enough that the guys have ball caps and sunglasses on, but then the brutal attempt at mustering up a few words to introduce themselves makes me want to rescue them.
Here’s the thing, though. Is it fair to discount someone because they may be dyslexic or never did well at Language Arts class in school? I know an accountant who can do wonders with numbers but probably couldn’t spell mathematician. I also know someone who barely graduated from high school, and they now run a very successful company with 15 staff. I think the issue is more around first impressions. I really think more of an effort needs to be made when it comes to compiling your profile and photos. If you are not a photogenic person, then you really should contact a photographer. They can help you smile, have fun, be playful, and just have some overall good pictures to choose from. As far as the effort in writing your profile, I can certainly help to some degree with that, but initially most computer programs have spellcheck and grammar notifications built in. (That first sentence I wrote was alerted to me with underlines that they were incorrect)
Making an effort will show you care enough to put your best foot forward and, when you meet your potential match face to face, you can be honest that spelling and email are not your strong suit. Once you have a chance to chat and share some laughs, a few spelling mistakes later might not be as big of a deal as they were before you met.
As for the ladies who judge so quickly, based on someone’s penmanship, you may want to soften up a bit and keep in mind there are many famous celebrities who also can’t spell. Orlando Bloom, Richard Branson, Tom Cruise, Walt Disney, Jim Carrey, Albert Einstein, Steven Spielberg and Jamie Oliver are some examples. They are all dyslexic, but that didn’t seem to hold them back.
So try to be a bit more open-minded and see what people are like face to face before making a decision. A fun snowshoe, hike, or cross-country ski may change your mind as to how important spelling really is.
In the meantime, I will try to stop using “B4,” unless I am at Bingo. If you are happy, single, and want me to help you with your profile, contact me at holmes@wheretheheartis.ca and we will get your profile started.
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