(U-WIRE) FULLERTON, Calif. – People have seen it in the news, and more than a few have a page of their own.

Myspace.com has become a fast-growing online community and has opened new possibilities in the dating world.

“Given the popularity of Myspace, it only makes sense that it would be a haven for meeting peeps,” said Chip Bumgardner, 37, from Lake Forest.

Bumgardner had several failed attempts at dating women he met on Myspace.

“I hate online dating. I had a few bad experiences with a few really, really freaky people,” Bumgardner said.

Still, he set up his Myspace page and continued to meet new singles.

“I tried to go out on four or five dates, and all of them were tragic,” he said. “One girl showed up at my house with the police and paramedics after one date because she thought I killed myself. I told her that I just didn’t want to talk to her, and I thought she was psycho.”

The comical tales of woe continued.

“Another girl walked into my house and took her clothes off and sat on my couch naked. She didn’t even tell me her name,” Bumgardner said. “And yet another girl told me I was ‘astrologically perfect,’ among other strange comments.”

After nearly giving up on the online dating scene, Bumgardner received a message from Kelly Jones, 36, who was also new to the Myspace world.

“Before I opened up the message, I thought she was going to be another random Internet stalker,” Bumgardner said.

“We exchanged phone number and started talking on the phone before agreeing to meet for the first time,” said Jones.

Even while Jones was skeptical about Myspace dating at first, she knew there was an immediate connection with Bumgardner.

“In the age of technology in which we live, I think a lot of people are realizing that it is very difficult to meet new people. The Internet has provided an alternative way in meeting people and in our case, it worked!” she said.

“We fell in love on a Ferris wheel and met through Myspace,” Jones said. “For the first time in my life I feel that I am with exactly who I should be with.”

While Jones and Bumgardner lived relatively close to one another, Rob Fernandez of Coto de Caza had a different dating experience.

Fernandez, like many others, never thought he would meet a significant other on the Internet.

He used his Myspace page to network and make new friends. After receiving a message from a woman on Myspace, Fernandez met his current fiancee, but there was only one issue in their way.

“I thought if she was looking to talk to me, she must be local,” Fernandez said. “It never occurred to me that she was in another state.”

After realizing his new love lived in Illinois, he knew it would take some time before he was able to meet her in person.

Fernandez hopped on a plane and flew to Illinois to meet the love of his life in person after talking on the phone and online for nearly two months.

“Now she is moving out to California,”

Fernandez said. “I’ve known her for five months and I’ve only seen her in person for a week. And yet we’re moving in together and talking about marriage.”

His fiancee, Pichi Albright, 27, never expected a serious relationship to develop out of Myspace.

“I live in Illinois, so I was sure there would be no possible way anything long term would come out of this,” she said. “I more or less went into it with an open mind, and if anything, I was excited about meeting someone I had things in common with.”

However, Albright also warns about meeting people on my space.

“I’d be the first to say, ‘Be careful!’

Be smart about it. Don’t give out personal information such as addresses and phone numbers, even last names unless you’re sure it’s safe,” she said. “The flipside of meeting someone on can be terrible.”

Whether someone’s friends list includes 1,000 people or just a few, there’s a chance that they might just come across a profile that catches their attention for a new love interest.

Copyright ©2006 Daily Titan via CSTV U-Wire