Dating Diaries: Breakup.com

Not long ago, I initiated an in-person split with a long-term boyfriend — a nebulous "I don't feel the way I need to to make this work" situation that ended in a storm of nerves, tears, and unsatisfactory explanations. Even worse, when it was over, I knew I had to do it three more times — on Facebook, Friendster, and MySpace.

I'd seen friends engage in uncoupling 2.0. Some did it quickly, like tearing off a Band-Aid. But to me, it seemed juvenile to rush to the keyboard and update my relationship status while the mascara was still running down my cheeks. I decided to let a grace period pass before I dealt my new ex three more punches to the gut (and announced to the world that I was available).

Then, nine days post-breakup, I got an out-of-the-blue text from one of his closest confidants. "It's okay to update your Friendster and Facebook pages," he wrote. "In fact, I think it would help." It was his way of saying I was keeping hope alive where there was none. I took the advice and, in rapid succession, changed all three profiles to "Single."