I've decided to venture into the world of Online dating again. This time I have gone for a fairly reputable Singles website that has been showing advertisements of late (no names mentioned). First impressions are not great. Don't get me wrong, there are some great looking, great personalities, seemingly nice guys out there, but a match? I have to say I'm still sceptical. Plus it's bl**dy expensive to be single these days! Some bigwig is looking at the singles market and rubbing his hands with glee!
Being a singleton, I am aware of how difficult it is to actually meet someone you like or feel a spark with. I feel these 'singles' sites (of which there are many) almost make people too picky. I am just as guilty of this I suppose. You have this security blanket of being sat in your own home, hiding behind your email until someone actually responds to you. Unfortunately a lot of people go by the cover and not the contents. Or they are not willing to take a gamble and are quick to fire back the 'not interested' email.
I first ventured into Online dating back in 2001. Met a few people 'virtually' and made one very good friend of whom I still keep in touch with (sporadically - apologies Rich if you read this). What I get annoyed at is myself! How I actually get a pang of disappointment when I don't get a reply (even a courtesy one to say thanks but no thanks) or I get a web generated "Not Interested" which means they couldn't even be arsed to email. You get the impression, someone has looked at your profile and felt distain that you dared bother contact them.
When you DO get a reply, some of the time it's someone who clearly hasn't bothered to read your "What I'm Looking For" preferences. Admittedly, you can have a ballpark area in things such as age but it's when you get ones that are blatantly 20 years younger/older than you ask for, or live in Timbucktu when you've asked for a 20 mile radius around where you actually live.
I will keep trying. I have only signed up for a month of this one. Granted, the matches they recommend ARE within my criteria but so far not one I've shown an interest in has bothered to contact me. Doesn't do wonders for the confidence I can tell you. I'm starting to believe the web is partly responsible for this singleton culture because we are all hidden away browsing profiles from behind our keyboards and PC's!
I long to live in an era where human interaction was still the only way of meeting people. Aha... I hear you cry, but it is. You try meeting Mr Right in a crowded pub where the jukebox is at tinitus level. Clubs....forget it! Also when all your friends are couples, it's hard to actually meet another singleton because you tend to do things as a group. Maybe I should go back to tmy parents era where you'd meet people at dances, trips out...
There's only one thing left to try.... Speed Dating!
Will update with a progress report soon :O)
-----------------------------------------------
Sites I've used:-
www.match.com
www.udate.co.uk
http://www.friendsreunited.co.uk
14 years ago
