Long Distance Relationships; I Just Don't See It

    Today, I would like to add my thoughts to this topic.  The long distance relationship; loving someone who's in another part of the world.   There's millions of people in them, and with all the modern social networking technology online, long distance relationships are becoming more and more common.  There's people who meet in chat rooms or through another site, and end up being in a relationship for years.  Personally, that would be the worst kind of torment for me.   While chatting online and through Facebook and similar sites is great and convenient, over time you can begin to want something more than that.   Technology's gotten so far advanced that you can have a very good simulation of the person in the room with you.  What with high definition web cams on every laptop, video chat integrated into sites, and real time messaging, it really helps to bring that person closer.  You could talk to them for hours, face to face.  If they got a new earring or piece of clothing they are really excited about, you can see and share in their joy.  Yet, there will always be a part missing; actually being able to touch; to feel.  To be able to just sit down together and talk; to simply be able to hold their hand.  After having an online only relationship for so long, people can want more; and that leads to more problems than I can name, but I'll give you my two cents on some of them.    If you love someone dearly, it's only a logical conclusion that you would want to spend time with them.  No matter how many pixels per inch there are, no matter how amazing the microphone is, it can never really replace the value and wonder at seeing them in person.
  We humans are a very physical type; can you imagine a world where body language doesn't play a part in the conversation?  After all, we all know that it's not what they're saying, but rather how they're saying it.   The words coming out of their mouth could be the exact opposite of what they really want to say.  They could be smiling, yet their eyes could be telling a completely different story.  When looking at a screen, you could miss the pain in the eyes, the trembling lip.   The bad sound quality could make you mistake the tremble in their voice.   Yes, you're still there to comfort them when they are sad or hurt, yet how can that ever compare to simply wrapping them in your arms and holding them?  One analogy I could make is watching a fire on the TV when you're freezing, yet feeling no heat.  No matter how amazing of a picture you get on your three thousand dollar screen, you will never be warm.  It's the same with online dating, you may talk everyday, yet in the end it's purely a virtual relationship; you never get to hold them, or feel their touch.
  I believe there are those people out there that who truly get all they need out of a relationship, while never actually feeling the need to see the other.  They could be that way for years, only talking through online applications.  They would still be emotionally connected and love each other deeply.  However, that's not for me.  I greatly value the notion of actually being physically close to the persons I love.  Just talking through text, chat or even video chat isn't enough if I truly love someone.   In the end, what matters to me is to be by that persons side when they need me, and to have them with me; for there's nothing like a simple hug to show how much you truly love someone.

Kids These Days; I Feel So Old

      At nineteen, I feel about thirty.  Looking around and talking to my peers, I can't believe how they are.  Yes, I may be leaning on stereotypes a little bit here, yet it seems to be more or less the "norm".  The other day, I was talking to a co worker of mine; he seemed to be your average young guy.  Working and going to school, he both studies and parties; drinks and dances.  And when the conversation wandered into the likely topic of "girls", I was blown away!  He's single, from what I have gathered, yet is always with one girl or the other.  That is his Saturday night; get off work, go to the club with friends, and go home with a girl.  Now, what can I say to that?  I would say, "damn! he's a lucky SOB", except what he does just doesn't appeal all that much to me.  Having a one night stand isn't bad; sure you have a great time with no strings attached, no worries.  Yet I don't see how it can be that simple.  What if the girl wakes up the next morning and thinks, "well I would like to see him again"; are you just going to ignore her when she calls?  Or are you going to tell her you just wanted to sleep with her, nothing else, so go find someone else.  I personally couldn't do that; wouldn't do that.  It's just not right to play with someones emotions like that.  Of course, it's not like they love you and you're crushing them, that's a whole different topic for another day; rather, it's simply rude, not courteous.  Even if you let her know what your goal is that night before you take her home, she could feel differently the morning after.  The horrible thing, in my opinion, about human emotions is that they are never the same and can change in a heartbeat.   So be careful when treading around them. People say you can have sex without bringing emotions into it; I say that's bull***t.  No matter how hard you try, or even if you think otherwise, I believe there are always some deeper emotions to go with it.  Why do people go to clubs alone in the first place?  Yes, maybe they just want to get laid, yet they also could be lonely in their life and are simply looking for someone to talk to; a friend above all.  I feel, and I think most would agree, that is way more important to emotional stability in the long run than just spending a night here and there with random strangers every week.  Human emotions are among one of the most complicated and misunderstood workings of the brain in the world.  So how can we act as if they aren't?