Dating (and Breaking Up) in the Millenium

So. Without giving you too much detail into my life outside this blog, I am going to share with you a personal story that actually happen a couple of weeks ago. However, it was not until just now when I was retelling the story to a friend, that I realized what a sign o' our times this situation was.....

I had been dating someone casually for a few months. While I was on a trip, we hadn't really talked to eachother, except through his blackberry, my computer, and both our cellphones with text message capabilities. We were keeping in touch until.....and I will spare you the dets why, but I sent a "could be construed as" break-up text. He responded with an email from his blackberry that solidified that my text was..... indeed..... a breakup text. I then sent an email reaction to his breakup response that pretty much left nothing else to say.

So there you have it. A relationship (I guess I will use that label) ends with no words actually being spoken to either party involved, but a LOT being said.

My question now ( and I reralize this sounds very 60 Minutes fluff investigative report of the week) .... But was all this telecommunication crap an improvement?

I don't know about every situation, but I gotta tell ya, I think technology was a good thing here. And I will list the reasons why.

1. I have a tendency to analyze, ney... over analyze, conversations.

How great was it that I had the emails to refer to when I was trying to decide his "tone"? Big Benefit. Also, when I was telling the "break up" story to my friends (which all girls do), it was awesome to be able to quote exactly from the email what was "said" instead of trying to remember the exact wording. A few close and trusted friends actually got to read the emails.

2. Complete Thoughts and Ideas

I got to say everything I wanted to get out. If that had been a phone or in person breakup, we would have interupted eachother. We would not have had time to gather our thoughts, and make sure the other person understood exactly what we were trying to say. You also run the risk of one person hanging up or just walking away. No one can walk away from an email.

3. The Obvious Emotional Reasons

No one's yelling. No one's crying. No one's looking at the other person, and in disbeilief that they are actually saying what is coming out of their mouth!

In conclusion (I use this phrase, because I was trying to answer a question here...Was it better that we broke up over email and text messaging, instead of in person?) I have to say "Yes". I like the way this dating saga ended. Complete . Clean. Easy. Pulling off a band aid.

I hope the rest of my relationships that end are as painless as this one. I will now continue my search for, what everyone is looking for.....the relationship that never ends. Wish me luck in that quest.......