Paul Richardson: Online dating services and Neosho's dating profile

When I was a young man I was so shy that my only hopes of meeting girls were if someone set me up. However, I was aware of some “go to” plays often utilized by others.

In addition to the normal hangouts such as bars, dances or other social events, one could always do the Laundromat scene or attempt at making connections in the aisles of the grocery store.

The process has become much more sophisticated and technological. Sit down to watch a little TV and you get hit with all types of advertising regarding the online dating sites. There are even some special ones for particular social classes and age groups. 

While I know people who have used at least one of these sites with success, I must say that the people I know didn’t necessarily fit the profile of the ones represented in the ads. All of the people pictured in the ads seem to be very physically attractive. 

If these are truly clients representing the service, then this leads me to believe that there must be some serious baggage in the background.

So as it stands, I don’t have any real data or experience as I have never utilized the online dating sites. The good wife wouldn’t approve it. I asked, she said no. Because of that and the general attractiveness of the people in the advertisements, my success would probably be ill-fated anyway.

While I may not be preparing a dating profile for myself, I am constantly working on the one that represents the City of Neosho. Yes the City of Neosho has a dating profile! 

While we try to show our “best side” on social media and the website the real deal comes out when our suitors show up for the date. The City of Neosho’s presence online and on social media is not air-brushed or using stock pictures from some other more romantic location but is definitely select material. 

If our date arrives and finds us disheveled and all sorts of strange goings on beyond the edges of the photograph used in the profile, we probably won’t get a second look. The last thing we need is our potential date to discover baggage in the background that we could have controlled. Man, that’s heartbreak!

Sure the City of Neosho has some baggage; every community throughout the nation has some baggage. The baggage becomes embarrassing when it is something that could have been controlled with a minimum of effort. 

Sometimes we have to just pause and pick the lettuce out of our teeth, or pull the grass that is coming up from seeds caught in the cracks of the sidewalk, street or parking lot. Sometimes we just have to decide, “Hey, I’m a grownup now and I can dress myself. Mom doesn’t need to lay my clothes out” or “You know what, I’m gonna mow beyond the sidewalk and all the way to the back of the curb. I don’t have to rely on the City to make my property look good”."

It’s the little things like picking up the bits of trash on the sidewalk or in the gutter that was “blown there by a wind beam”. Those little items that are an attention to detail can make the difference when the date shows up on the door step. We are going to let that date in the house and if last week’s laundry is piled up down the hallway, well, what can you say?

The City of Neosho is going to attract people. The people we attract will most likely be a reflection of the real Neosho that we present. Those people will become residents or business owners and will become contributors to the community with the same level of enthusiasm that has been displayed by the community prior to their arrival.

So this whole community dating profile can go a couple of different ways: one can dress up a pig, put some lipstick on it, take it to the dance and see who dances with it, or one can spend their time at the beauty salon, the gym getting all sleek and fine, then put on some “Sunday go to meetin’ clothes” and head out to the big party!

No matter how we build the profile, no matter how slick or gritty it looks and sounds it always comes down to date night. Our profile is getting the attention, so we better get ready for the date!

(Paul Richardson is public relations director and events coordinator for the City of Neosho.)