Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
Uniqueness in approach:
During my time online, what would often pop in my window is “ASL!!” At first I didn't
understand what that meant and when I asked for an explanation they said it is short for
“Age-Sex- Location”. My direct response was “ever after - human being - earth”. Many
did not understand the hint or didn't want to so they either simply left the conversation or
repeat the same question!
After about 100 windows with the same request starter, and I giving the same answer, no
reply came back. I come to realize that maybe I'm wrong in my approach, so I changed
my reply to “ever after - an alien - moon” and guess what, someone finally understood
and was funny and smart enough to reply “1 million years - an alien - mars”. We laughed
and chatted together and later we became best friends. Despite the fact that we've never
met each in person, every now and then we text and catch up on how life is treating us and
what our latest achievements are.
My point is, that I never liked a starched or stripped of feelings approach to meeting new
people online. If you want to make an impact, approach others in a way that they haven't
experienced before. Don't be materialistic and see a relationship from one angle only, ask-
ing for ASL is no guarantee of the other person's true identity, for they could be a man,
pretending to be a girl, or a girl says her age is 21 while she is actually 14. You can never
be sure. Start your chat with something light, funny and catchy as it breaks the ice and
later during that chat you can ask whatever that you want to know the other person in a
decent and respectful way. You can also volunteer information about you, like “sorry
didn't introduce myself, I'm Tom, I'm a 23 years old and I live in Washington DC”. If
whomever you are chatting with is respectful enough they would have the courtesy to give
you a reply appropriate to your introduction.
Meeting new people and making them comfortable with you is an art and it doesn't in-
clude the “ASL” starter.
Be original and unique and if you like the feedback you got regarding the “age, sex and
location” question then it's great, and if you didn't, then you have not lost anything by
having a nice little chat with someone else. That always counts as a good deed and an ex-
perience to add to your ever growing and thriving personality.
