no-fi "magazine"
presents
"STUPID CUPID"
by nadith, february 2005 - illustrations by chris beyond
Ah yes, it's that time of the year again. Time for candy coated hearts, over priced roses, cuddly teddy bears, and impossible to obtain dinner reservations. That's right kiddies, it's the ultimate Hallmark Greeting Card holiday; Valentines. Apparently, the one day out of the year that's supposed to mark the pinnacle of one's love for their partner. Forget the rest of the year as long as you get it right on February 14th.
What is it about this day that conjures up so much anxiety? That desperate need to find a date to spend this "romantic" day with. Some will go to great lengths to meet Mr. / Ms. Right. Even via the internet. The following article is all about the lonely hearts that cruise the internet in hopes of attracting that special someone. However, this is about the seedier side of the internet. A site disguised as a "networking" community. it's also become an amateur porn website strewn with countless profiles containing very naked men and women and most of all a breeding ground for creepy cyber space stalkers.
Alright, perhaps I'm being a bit harsh. Granted, I've met some very interesting people through this networking site known as Myspace. However, like many good things in life, there are those rotten apples that ruin it for everyone.
While preparing to write this piece I posted a bulletin there requesting that members email with their stalker and all together dating desperado stories. Some answered with minor stories and interesting quips. However it was a No-Fi staff member that gave up the goods in a big way. Here's our conversation on affections turned ugly. Enjoy!
Nadith: What prompted you to join that site?
Person-X: I met someone when I first got a PC. I chatted online and someone referred me to Myspace. I was one of the first members. I started when there were under 100,000 of us.
Nadith: So, I understand that you had yourself a stalker from Texas. How long did he stalk you for?
Person-X: All in all, I suppose he had stalked me for four months seriously.
Nadith: What was the creepiest thing he did?
Person-X: He was helping me do something on my PC and he had this webcam on. He turned it to his screen so that I could follow along with what he was doing. It was at that moment that I saw that he had a picture of me on his desktop. I asked why he had a picture of me and he replied, "Oh, that is nothing. You should see this." He clicked on a folder on his desktop and a bunch of pictures of me came up. Apparently, this guy has every single picture of me on the internet ever. He knows all of their numbers off by heart, or if they have titles, what they are called. It was creepy.
Nadith: How did you respond to this?
Person-X: I tried to be nice to him in the beginning. My boyfriend and I were getting more andmore serious about each other. So, I told him that and I also said that he and I were just friends. It got worse. I didnŐt even see half of the posts he was making. But he would send me emails saying what a lying bitch I was and then say he was going to kill himself because of me. It was really weird.
Nadith: Did you finally have to block him from further contact?
Person-X: Yes. I have him listed under my favorites though. I want to be able to see if he is ever taking a trip somewhere. I know it might be a little out of the ordinary, but it could happen.
Nadith: How many creepy people have contacted / stalked you on this site?
Person-X:: I have had at least 12 weird/and or creepy people contact or stalk me.
Nadith:: Have you ever felt truly frightened by any of these individuals?
Person-X:: No. The only time I ever felt truly frightened was when the first person who ever sent me a ticket to go meet him beat me up and wouldn't let me go back home. I was stuck where he lives for over a month and he has a violent temper.
Nadith: In your opinion, when does it go from flirtation to scary?
Person-X: It goes from flirtation to scary when one of the parties involved doesn't feel comfortable anymore.
Nadith:: Have these experiences changed your perception of meeting people online?
Person-X: No. I have been playing on the net and meeting people from there for a long time. Myspace is nothing but a popularity contest disguised as a dotcom. That is all. It's also for anyone who wants to be someone else. Rarely are people who they say they are.
Nadith: Finally, on a lighter note. Have you ever dated anyone from this site or other similar communities?
Person-X: Yes, my boyfriend is on Myspace. I met him because I used to have something on my profile (the original one with over 400 friends and 1,000 comments etc..) that said, "If you want to meet me, send me a ticket." Boys would send me tickets and I would go. My boyfriend never did. One of his friends did and that is how I met my boyfriend. It has been almost a year since we started dating too. Not too shabby!
There you have it. Don't let the Valentine's Day madness drive you to stalker like behavior. If you must, launch a missile at that stupid Cupid. Bring his diaper wearing ass down. Remember, desperation is never an attractive quality. Unless you're a contestant on the Bachelor or Bachelorette.
Nadith is one of our newest contributing writers to No-Fi "Magazine" and wears stockings on her feet sometimes.
And becuase we always want to be sure that you get as many mixed messages as possible when reading our articles, you can find Myspace profiles for No-Fi "Magazine and No-Fi "Radio" in the links provided.
e-mail no-fi "magazine
