Today I heard of a new site called WhyGoSolo. Rather than doing the regular research, I decided to dive right in just for the hell of it. What does that mean? I literally have no idea what WhyGoSolo is, why it exists, and what I’m signing up for. Let’s see what happens as I go through the process of signing up as a completely oblivious user.
Step One: Conversion from the home page 
Okay, here goes. Like I said, I really don’t want to know what I’m signing up for until I’m actually in the process of registering. So I quickly scan the page and see the tagline "Making Spontaneous Connections Happen." Okay. I like spontaneity. I like connections.
I then notice the alpha tag. Whoa – this thing isn’t even beta! I’m there!
Finally, I notice the "Get Started Button", which is telling me that I can get a membership card today. It just so happens that I have one empty slot left in my wallet (currently occupied by a cardboard card that says "Perry Ellis Portfolio"), so this only sweetens the deal.
Right before I’m about to click the Get Started Button, I see the copy to the right, asking me "What are you waiting for?". Jeez these guys are pushy. Wow.
Despite the high-pressure sales technique, I decide to click the button. I really like membership cards.
Step Two: Signing Up
The registration form is pretty standard. They ask for your name, a password, a username, etc. I plow through it.
Step Three: Confirm Registration
A few moments later, I get an email:
Wow. Not only do they want me to hurry up and click the register button, they really don’t want me to reply to their emails. I click.
Step Four: I’m A Member! Where’s My Card?
Well, would you look at that. I’m a member now. In fact, I’m member #614. Dude, I was a member of WhyGoSolo before it was cool.
Step Five: Customize
Though I do have an incredibly round, featureless face, the image on the left is not an accurate visual depiction of me. So I suppose I should upload a photo…..I click the change picture link and……..
…..nothing happens.
Hmmmm. Okay, let’s click "Profile" again.
Here’s what I get:
I want you to notice a few things. I believe I have stumbled upon what can only be described as an existential crisis. I am at once logged in, not logged in, on the site, yet offline at the same time. I am in a state of fundamental impossibility. The world as I know it will never be the same.
I click "Profile" again and get:
I don’t know what just happened, but I believe I may have just stumbled into a new dimension. I am going to try to reconcile my seemingly contradictory states of being on Why Go Solo later this afternoon. But for now I’m going into the conference room and hiding under a table, hoping I haven’t ripped a hole in the time space continuum.
