I think the big meeting places for finding potential mates back in the day were houses of worship and barn raisings. You would go to church or temple and hear the quiet bachelor farmer Wrzesinski was lookin’ for a wife. Lo and behold, you became Mrs. Wrzesinska and began a life of making a lot of food for the farm hands.

I didn’t make up the surname. That’s one in my family history.

My point is that times have changed. A Gallup poll shows 41% of Americans report they regularly attend religious services.

That’s one reason match.com, plentyoffish.com, and OK Cupid exist. People want to meet somewhere and there are few barn raisings anymore. There’s so little stigma attached to online dating now. I’ve been there and done that and so have countless other people who I like and admire.

I was talking to my friend Kirsty in Ireland recently. She has been with the same fella since 1995. They were married in 2000 and I was a bridesmaid at her super-fun wedding and after party in Dublin.

She and I were discussing my articles about relationships and also talking about a mutual friend we had worked with in California. His name is Gabe.

“One thing I always remember though, Gabe asked me once where do I meet people. I told him pubs and clubs. He told me you only meet crazy people in pubs and clubs. So I asked him where does he meet people and he said work. Then I returned home [to Ireland], got a job, and met Cathal who was also working in the same place. I suppose that explains my history with the nutcases I dated previous to Cathal!”

I’ve met men at pubs and clubs and we’ve hung out again. But, they were already acquainted with another friend and we only hung out at that same venue and with that same group. We never went anywhere alone, we were just friends, and we didn’t move on to some magical love connection.

Oh, and I never had a one night stand with someone I met while shaking my tail feathers to Lady Gaga’s “Judas.” Nor have I had a one night stand with anyone no matter what the song.

People have often asked me where I met my ex husband, boyfriend, guy I was dating, or even just who I was going to have a sip and go with. I’ve met them at work, at a ballroom dance, online, through friends during a party, scuba diving, in high school or university classes, and yes at church. I went to a couple high school dances with a guy from another school. We met through youth group.

I have yet to meet someone at a pub or club.

Maybe Gabe is right.

But that begs a question. If everyone at a pub or club is crazy and we’re there too, doesn’t that make us all crazy?