new love in the time of COVID-19

I wonder what single people who are looking for a relationship are doing right now? I assume dates, clubs, etc. are a no go. Online I guess? Thank goodness I'm happily married. One less thing to worry about.

[Mr. Jelly]

I live by a big park. I notice two vehicles pulling in and setting beside each other at times. You can imagine the reasons for meeting in this manner. I haven't seen much of this happening since the virus.

I was hoping to discuss what people looking for a normal relationship are doing but I guess we can discuss this other stuff too...

[fitness1]

Was just about the last thing on my mind before this situation, and (if that's possible) has moved farther down the list now!

I have a couple of elderly clients that are bound and determined they are going to mess things up for me though. Always telling me "it's never too late" and "someday it will happen when you least expect it"

I'm not buying any of it

What about those actively looking for a positive relationship? It's usually hard enough finding someone but now...? Have people just given up under the circumstances?

[RP]

Maybe it's just me but in the midst of all that's going on, I couldn't imagine trying to start a relationship with a stranger. There's already too much uncertainty hanging in the air....

[tbeltrans]

Don't people who meet online, tend to carry on an online relationship for a while before actually meeting? To me, it seems that the online relationship part would just go on a bit longer than it might otherwise.

I have known a couple of people who met their future spouses online and carried that relationship online for a while before actually meeting. As far as I know, all parties are still happily married.

Edit: It has been a long time since I have been "in the game". I have been married now for 37 years, and I am sure that technology has changed the proces of meeting people dramatically. My wife sat in front of me in night programming school. That was always how I met people - through just doing the things I do, rather than hanging out in bars or anything outside my normal daily activities. It was a good way to meet compatible people. It seems to me that meeting people outside your normal routines would not give you the same result. So maybe, that part of life would have to wait unless one is OK with the online thing.

Tony

[fitness1]

Originally Posted by RP

Maybe it's just me but in the midst of all that's going on, I couldn't imagine trying to start a relationship with a stranger. There's already too much uncertainty hanging in the air....

I had a bit of the same reaction/thought when I saw mention of birth rates going up because of more "togetherness" during this.

With so many unknowns, WHY would you consider having a child??

I had assumed people who were planning such things would change their posture a bit.

[Arlington]

There is no dating going on for most parts of the country, or in most counties in the world right now. Full stop.

I guess online dating and connecting via the web would work.

I'm far from an expert, married for +20 years :-)

[RP]

Originally Posted by fitness1

...With so many unknowns, WHY would you consider having a child??

I had assumed people who were planning such things would change their posture a bit.

I've been catching up on my daytime television while quarantined at home, and it seems that for many planning isn't necessarily part of the have-a-child equation...

[fitness1]

Originally Posted by RP

I've been catching up on my daytime television while quarantined at home, and it seems that for many planning isn't necessarily part of the have-a-child equation...

Well, there's always that I guess. The beginning of many problems for people!

[HodgdonExtreme]

Originally Posted by fitness1

With so many unknowns, WHY would you consider having a child??

The world is, and has always been, full of unknowns.

If I were a woman in my early 40s, who had been trying to conceive pre-Covid, I certainly wouldn't stop now.

[Dirk Hofman]

Originally Posted by HodgdonExtreme

The world is, and has always been, full of unknowns.

If I were a woman in my early 40s, who had been trying to conceive pre-Covid, I certainly wouldn't stop now.

I hear ya, but I don't envy that situation. If you don't have a partner at that point, it's gonna be tough right now. Takes 2 to tango, and a lot of guys have checked out for a bit. For pregnant and married/coupled women of any age, having a kid in a hospital...well I've seen a lot of friends and colleagues share that they're really nervous. Not the kind of stress one would want to add to the already stressful situation. I'm sure they'll get through it OK, but I feel 'em. Tough stuff.

[KevWind]

Humm interesting question.
I imagine trying to have a stimulating conversation through N 95 dust masks, would throw a hitch in the gittalong to romance

[FrankHS]

Originally Posted by KevWind

Humm interesting question.
I imagine trying to have a stimulating conversation through N 95 dust masks, would throw a hitch in the gittalong to romance

On the upside, I wouldnt have to worry about bad breath, or how my teeth appear. And to make her laugh, I could paint a Tom Cruise chin on the outside of my mask.