Wow. Here we go. My name is Chelsea. I write here now.

I figured I’d just jump right in and share my latest internet obsession/way to kill time at work. I’ve been spending a lot of billable hours on this particular site recently, and every day I grow more intrigued by the sheer humanity on display. The page is updated a hundred times a day by thousands of individual authors, who have no qualms about letting the world in on their desperation, flirtation, loneliness, heartbreak, and triumph. Some of the entries are so personal and so badly spelled that they could have been ripped directly from the pages of a fifteen-year old emo kid’s diary.

I am talking, of course, about the Missed Connections page on Craigslist.

Citizens of Chicago (and other Craigslist towns) can use this page as a cyber longshot to try to get the attention of that cutie they met at Metropolis last week, or the hot businessman they see on the bus each morning. People also use it as a last-ditch effort to reach out to those who have dumped them or fired them or otherwise left them in the lurch. My only quibble with Missed Connections is that people will occasionally put up a posting designed to reconnect with their childhood sweetheart or long-lost cousin, though everyone knows that those uses are why Al Gore created FaceBook and MySpace.

Of course, vain creature that I am, my true motivation for scanning the Missed Connections page every day is that I hope to find someone who’s looking for me. Posters can classify their entries by neighborhood, which helps because I can usually disregard those seeking a “Very Sexy Model/Actress Type” they spotted in Pilsen or Hyde Park. There are a few candidates right now, though. The following people are very possibly pining for me as we speak:

Cute nod at Diversey and Clark - m4w - 22
“As I was biking off Clark onto Diversey Westbound I noticed another friendly face. A quick nod and smile was all I could get off, which you returned, but by then I was back to concentrating on not getting run-over going the wrong way on Diversey.

If you want to get coffee sometime or just take a walk feel free to let me know. It’s not often that people manage to give a quick smile to brighten each others day.”

I was totally in this neighborhood the day this was posted. I smile at a lot of people. Many folks on the Missed Connections suggest taking walks.

I live in half a canoe
“i wish we were friends too. we met under unfortunate circumstances. i wanted to talk to you more than anything, but i was forced to silence by your raphaelesque beauty and your lovely accent.”

I haven’t been to the Pier in a while and my accent is not too pronounced, but I’d most assuredly like to be friends with someone who lives in half a canoe. So we’ll hold out hope for this one.

there are times it feels like we are hiding from each other - m4w
“we keep our doors closed, nod as we pass, and barely say hello, there are times you catch me looking at you, and times i catch you looking at me, a thousand thoughts flow through me as i imagine what is going through your head, and i give up, i never was good at these things, i never knew what to say when i wanted to say a few, just a few, words to explain….”

This one didn’t have a neighborhood, so it could totally be from the creepy 65-year-old shirtless guy who lives in my building. Perish the thought.

Bright blue eyes at Starbucks….. - w4m
“You smiled this morning…I think at me. I am really shy and gave a half smile and turned away…sorry should have smiled and not looked away.”

I have blue eyes. I frequent the Bucks. And he only thinks I smiled at him. This one’s almost for sure.

DOES THIS EVER WORK FOR ANYONE?
I’d like to hope so.

Find Your Missed Connection

Filed by Chelsea at 9:59 am under General, Pop Culture, Love