The Curse of St. Valentine!

Now lest you think I do not believe in love or do not think there is any in my own life, you will have to see the end of this post...

But for now: Valentine's Day has yet to be a good day of the year (for more than a week, that is) to me. Those that I had during my marriage- yeah, well mostly best forgotten.

Two years ago, a very exciting and fun day and evening- fun date, etc... fast forward a week from then, no longer on speaking terms which led to being dumped by TEXT MESSAGE! Not my definition of Valentine fun...

One year ago, I spent more than two weeks on the gift I sent, just to be dumped by EMAIL less than one week BEFORE the big day. And no, he never did return my gift...

This year, the curse has gone one better, I have now encountered at least 5, yes I said 5, con men online in just under two months! (of the ones I know to be frauds)! Maybe it's just the same guy trying out various 'techniques' to see if I would ever be that stupid/desperate/whatever-it-is... yeah, that's NOT going to happen.

So if you would like to know a few of the many 'subtle' signs of a dating con:

1. Asking for money for the lawyer, the illness, the temporary situation, the... ANY REASON from someone you have never talked to face-to-face! Um, yeah, first off, I do not have any spare type money. Second, if I did, I would give it to my kids, my family, my neighbors, to someone I actually have known for more than a month!

2. Writing techniques that have a distinctive Russian and/or Spanish type accent when you were supposedly born and raised in the good old US of A by American parents! Here's a little tip: poor grammar is VERY different than someone writing in English as their second language! Not only was I the English Sterling Scholar for my high school, not only do I have a daughter who is the most fabulous writer in the universe, but I taught English for a few years to students with disabilities (believe me, I know what poor grammar sounds like in the written word) and many of my students are Hispanic (so I know what English as a second language sounds like!)

3. Claiming to have lived in the USSR for several years growing up to cover the whole accent in your writing thing... Yes, either I am very attractive to men who have lived through this experience or it is a common lie told by the aforementioned con men!- 3 'different' men with the same cover story sounds just a tad bit suspicious, don't you agree?

4. Saying the old 'I was led to you' or some version thereabouts when all you know about me is my eye color , that I am divorced, and have children... Um, at least be smart enough to have actually looked me in the eye before you try that line! On second thought, remembering someone who actually did just that- even then, keep it to yourself- may only be a good line if we are at the altar of the temple- at least then I may believe it!

5. Signing your name as Bob on one message and as Josh on another (one in which you attached a head shot entitled 'Bob'!) Really?! I am supposed to believe that one is your first name and one is your middle name, that your family calls you one and you go by the other- but you used them BOTH yourself?! Really?! You haven't seen me, so why do you presume that I have the word 'gullible' tattooed on my forehead?!

Now for the proof that I know loves exists and that I am blessed to have it in my own life: