Onlone
6/6
J: So when is the [last time you use] Grindr?

M: Well, (long pause) everyday actually.

J: Everyday?

M: Mhmm.

J: So what are you looking for [here]?

M: Well, ultimately a husband; but I know that’s not the place to find [him], so whatever, you know. Just whatever. Most of the time I just use it to see what’s out there and have somebody to talk to ‘cause just sitting in my room and watching TV get boring. And I have friends but either they’re busy or they live out of state, so I don’t really go out very much.

J: So is Grindr the place [you’d look] for friends?

M: Well, for whatever, you know. Just wanted somebody to talk to. And if that clicks, and it turns out that we want to go on a date or something, I’d be down for that. Oh, I’m kind of picky so that [doesn’t happen often].

J: Do you feel lonely?

M: Like, in general?

J: Mhmm.

M: Yeah, kind of.

J: When is the last time you feel lonely?

M: (sighs) Well it’s hard to say because I’m so used to it now, and it kind of—I mean I’m not lonely when I have work, when I’m busy and I have all of the work friends and everything; they’re there, but they’re just work friends. They’re not hangout friends. But when I’m [off work], and I think about it, and I’ll be sitting in my room, just kind of sit there and watch TV ---1:50--- lonely.

J: Do you think that everyone’s ‘lonely’ different?

M: Yeah, I think it has to be. Because it’s a very personal emotion, so different people feel lonely for different reasons. Different people combat their loneliness in different ways.

J: ---2:25---

M: Yeah, essentially.

J: About loneliness: do you feel like that there’s a difference between feeling lonely in the real world and feeling lonely in the online world? M: Yeah, I guess so. Because in the real world it’s just kinda a constant ‘lonely’, you know?