Online dating. Love it or hate it, the phenomenon brings a sense of curiosity with it. Even those who never thought they would be into "that sort of thing" have found themselves perusing dating sites hoping to find their paramour. Some *cough, cough* have drifted to numerous sites (try five) to see what they have to offer. Hey, a gal can't call herself a dating guru without doing her research.
Overall, I think the logic behind online dating is solid. You like a profile for a number of reasons - the person has similar taste in music, you both love the great outdoors, or they are just plain hot. You communicate back and forth with potentials. My super logical bestie came up with a theoretical calculation for choosing mates...and it worked! She is now happily tied down from her romp with online dating. But that approach doesn't work for everyone.
First, let's start with opening lines. Some people are great at it. Others aren't. And then there are those that are downright offensive:
Riiight... because "Hello, how are you" just won't get the job done.
Once the conversation gets rolling, communication becomes a lot easier. You get to learn more about the other person (i.e. how much inner crazy they have). It is also possible to gauge whether chemistry exists between the two of you. Next comes the phone number exchange.
Typically text messages follow online interactions. If a fellow has the chutzpah to call you, give him a brownie point or two! A majority of the guys I have met (whether online or in person) prefer texting over talking. Even after mentioning that talking on the phone is preferable, they continued to text *mental eye roll*. That's not even reading the tea leaves wrong...it's just plum laziness. In any event, if he continues to pass the ink blot test and all is well, a first date ensues.
Coffee dates are great first, semi-blind date venues. I mean the best. They are great for conversation. You don't have to worry about getting food stuck in your teeth (unless, of course, you order food). And they can be cut short easily if things go south. No waiting around for the other person to eat, or the waitress moving at a snail's pace to bring back the check. Nope. Coffee is usually paid for at the time of service. If something "suddenly" comes up, and you need to bolt, go for it.
As you can see, I've developed sort of a roadmap here. Experiences vary for everyone. However, this is a pretty spot on template...and it just doesn't work for me. I find that I like chemistry to develop organically. Online dating feels forced...like there's some sort of an expectation for me to open my legs, get married next week, or both. Coming up, I will give a detailed review of all five dating sites that I've tried - leaving no stone unturned.
Have you had success with online dating? Let us know about it in the comments!
