The Lonely Hearts of Home
by Phoenix_Storm21, HSM guest contributor
Who are the lonely hearts of Home? I know more then a handful of Home citizen that are of the lonely-heart persuasion. Lonely hearts flock to Home, to be part of this growing world of love and prospects. Lonely hearts have found a new vista to end their loneliness.
Home is home to lonely hearts. Whether Sony meant for it to be so or not, Home has become a mecca for the lonely hearts of the world. It almost seems as thought they did have hookups in mind — what with the engagement rings in the Lockwood Gift Machine and the wedding attire for purchase in the mall, it seems matchmaking was inevitable.
Gathering Spots: There are several gathering places for the lonely hearts. In these places, there may sometimes be hordes of lonely hearts in attendance. The list as I know it goes as follows:
1. Pier Park. With its Ferris Wheel of love, lonely hearts will gather and try to connect with a fellow lonely heart.
2. SingStar. It’s not just for dancing anymore. Many a lonely heart will go there waiting for a chance to connect.
3. Granzella’s Southern Island Retreat, where the secluded areas offer several spots to catch a fellow lonely heart’s eye.
4. Hudson’s Theater. Many of you probably didn’t even know that this little place attracts lonely hearts. They will be there, seated all alone on some nights, one to a table, just waiting. Waiting for that fellow lonely heart to show itself.
There are still more places, not so publicized, where lonely hearts gather.
Lonely Heart Dating: From the young to the older residents in home; there is a constant influx of hopeful/lonely hearts. Every day, some one is agreeing to be a Home boyfriend or girlfriend to some (in some cases) unseen hopeful. Though Home should not be used as a dating service, the dating world is alive and thriving in Home. It maybe more alive for some then their actual real-world dating scene. Dating can be as simple as meeting up on Home to explore the games and lounges or chatting on dashboard or in your personal spaces — which, of course, is a lonely heart’s dream.
Hopeful Signs: There is the language of online dating. The “hun, babe, bay, lov, sweetheart” or some other pet name given to your Home love that shows you are a couple, when used in a public setting. This also shows you are not just any lonely heart anymore; you have that lonely heart connection; you are now a couple. Home dating gives the lonely heart more hope; it can go in the direction of moving semi-offline. In these relationships there in now the element of face to face chatting, or phone calls for some. This, combined with meeting up on Home, in some cases creates a match a lonely heart might never have had.
Though some relationships are doomed to crash and burn, there are other relationships that go on for months in Home. These are the ones the lonely hearts strive for. While still others will one day meet and become more than just online lovers.
Lonely heart marriages: Though marriages do happen in SCEA Home and SCEE Home, there is no formal chapel like there is in the Japanese Home. The lonely heart couples in these regions must make do without a proper place to speak their vows. Not to be dissuaded, some Home citizens hold marriage ceremonies of their own. The beach at Red Bull is now a popular wedding spot, since the departure of Irem beach.
Some couples also use clubhouses to say their vows — all of which usually have a reception which follows. Of the weddings I have attended, most have been very happy affairs. There were even engagement parties thrown beforehand and bachelor/bachelorette parties.
I myself performed a marriage for a friend in SCEE Home. Some married couples even have children on home. I have met several families amongst the Home community. Home’s lonely hearts crave the trappings of the real world in this virtual realm.
Back to lonely again: I have also seen the downside of married couples in home — divorce. Unlike the real world, it doesn’t cost a thing to divorce in Home. You just say your goodbyes, or simply delete your partner. There are many in Home who see their relationships crash and burn. I, for one, am a divorced Home citizen.
Yes, I dated and married on home. I can attest to the throngs of lonely-hearted Home citizens. For many, the disappointment is only fleeting. One relationship down, another one on…Home Casanovas are alive and well. Of course, their counterparts are alive as well. Unscrupulous femme fatales ply their wiles in Home, too.
With some finding it as difficult to find love in Home as in the real world, they remain true lonely hearts. Even so they continue to try desperately to make that lasting hook-up in Home. The lonely heart is very resilient. They are all hoping to find someone to love them.
Whatever Sony had in mind for Home, it has become a virtual world of real possibilities. For the lonely hearted, Home has become home to many. It has given hope to hearts, that they may meet that special someone. Lonely and broken hearts live in Home. These hearts dream of a home wedding and love everlasting. On behalf of this group of people, I give thanks to Sony. We may not meet the loves of our lives in Home, nor was Home designed with us in mind, but we have met friends with kindred hearts.
March 12th, 2012 by Phoenix | 6 comments
Phoenix writes poetry and is a photography enthusiast, along with writing for HomeStation Magazine. She is currently studying for a BFA in Creative Writing and BA with concentration in Photography. psn ID phoenixstorm21
youtube.com/user/phoenixstorm21
Ive actually been considering launching a singles connection for Home. I agree with your well written article, and have begun thinking of the potential of an online hook up service for home
That idea has crossed my mind as well. i think its the next step in home romance. I say go for it!
Nice article Phoenix. I have had several people I know experience the comings and goings of romance in Home. There are even I few who have gotten married in real life, we have an article from last year about one of those, and I know of one couple that just had their first baby in real life.
As for weddings in Home, I think the chapel will be coming to the beach eventually, it just hit EU so I think it will come here as well and there are people like myself who have created wedding clubhouses for the public to use. It is basically a club with no members that the couple can use to have a wedding and reception at. I like these better than the public ones anyway as there is more control over what occurs during the ceremony.
Great job and welcome to HSM.
Thanks you for your comment Burbie52. That’s fab about the couples that made the transition to the real world. Heck they already have a good deal in common being on home. Lol You’re right too about the private weddings, much easier to control the comings and goings on there. I don’t think many people know about your service though. Maybe you should post something on the activity board.
Oxford University’s Internet Institute puts out the results of their study every Valentines Day about dating and the Internet. Here’s their findings from this year: http://www.ox.ac.uk/media/news_stories/2011/111402_1.html
I recall reading in their study last year that of all relationships that were started online, only half of them came from sites specifically catering to dating. Which means people are finding love online pretty much wherever socialization is bound to occur. Kind of like Home, isn’t it?
Thanks Terra_Cide,
for the link. I wonder if it’s because; on a dating sight one might fear the rejection of a perspective mate. Where as in the virtual world of Home,and other sights there isn’t that thought. Our little mini me’s as it were are pretty much out there. It’s like going to a club or party. You just go and mingle. Maybe that makes all the difference. “The human mingle factor?” lol But what do I know.