Cougars

In this infinitely confusing era of Feminism, sexual harassment, asexuality and metrosexuality, there are not many things the men of the world have to be more thankful for than Cougars. Once seen as past their prime, the 40-something divorcees were the social equivalent of horses put out to pasture. Outcast from the world of happy hours and nightlife, they were expected to stay home and watch prime-time soaps, keeping their opinions and their sagging decolletage to themselves.

Today, though, with a few thousand dollars worth of cleavage and a "gently used" BMW, they are becoming a regular fixture roaming the bars and clubs of cities everywhere.

Where once men were the hunters and women played the part of the damsel in distress – a game most players knew the rules to intimately – Cougars have stepped in with a virtual EMP, short-circuiting the process. This leaves men new to the phenomenon confused and on uncertain ground, blindly attempting to navigate this new landscape, wondering just who is the hunter and who is the hunted.

And, women are in an even worse position. Where females of all ages used to rely on the ladies-room camaraderie of shared experiences to commune over whether she should "dump his ass" or "give him one more try" now there is tension in the restaurant lavatory when the 24-year-old Aphrodite stares through the mirror at the 42-year-old Venus. Caught between an instinctive desire to compliment another member of the Sisterhood on her beauty and the gut-wrenching fear her date might want to do the same, she stalls like a kite on a windless day.

Yes, Cougars are rewriting the rules of the dating game to the point dating doesn't often even come into play. Men are hustling to play catch up and trying to figure out why she didn't call the next morning while women are beginning to see a light dawning.

Perhaps the 21st century will see women holding the reins. Will they take this opportunity to seek the equality they've wanted so long, or will they embrace their advantage and become the new Men?

Online Dating

Okay, so let's kick off this lovely dialog with a discussion of internet dating sites. We'll begin with a little history. Back in the day, that's hip-speak for when your parents were sexually active (ewww!), you were pretty much limited in your selection of potential dates to people in your school, church, neighborhood and office. That used to be seen as a decent amount of people but with the increasing isolationist "iPod" lifestyle, more and more people are finding they don't really know, let alone talk to, those people around them.

There was a brief period where desperate singles turned to grocery stores, laundromats and, for the more adventurous guys, maternity stores, to meet potential partners. With the increase in 'alternative interest' folks, there have been a rise in more specific locations for catering to those specific groups. For example, there's a great little coffee shop in Chicago that specializes in providing a safe and welcome environment for short, young men who enjoy tall, elderly women who like to roller skate backwards.

Hey, if you haven't tried it, don't knock it.

That brings us to the present. The ubiquitous presence of the internet in nearly every home, library, coffee shop and cell phone has given singles – and dastardly married folk, as well – a nearly limitless access to anyone else. "Six Degrees of Separation"? More like One. All it takes is a couple minutes and a few clicks to present yourself on the Stage of Availability. Thereby, you have the instant means to communicate with people from such far-reaching realms as your school, church, neighborhood and office. Amazing, isn't it?

Then, in a bizarre sort of Freudian rejection, people decide this is a great opportunity to exaggerate.

Men are suddenly three inches taller and four years younger. Women post only one photo of themselves from the neck up and offer up multiple images of their aging pooch. And everyone the world over likes cuddling on the couch and long walks on the beach.

It's obvious we've come a long way toward improving our dating options.

Welcome to Our Discussion

Hello!

Thanks for dropping in. We're looking forward to this adventure and hope you find it entertaining, and perhaps enlightening, too.

In coming posts, we'll take the opportunity to pick specific subjects and look at them from our unique perspective. We'll see the humor and the harsh realities and try to make a little sense out of things.

Feel free to send us comments beneath any posts, whether relevant to that post or just a question you have or even a subject you want us to dive into. We're eager to turn our lens on your topics.

Until then, stay frosty as you tip toe through the Social Minefield.