Online dating????

After a failed long-term relationship, a broken engagement and another certain declaration of “I’ve finally found the one!” who, surprise, turned out not to be the one, I was persuaded to dive into the world of online dating by my happily coupled girlfriends.  A handful of examples of real success stories convinced me that I had nothing to lose.  I knew my wonderful non-single girlfriends only desired my happiness… That and a sadistic curiosity to see – from a distance - just what it would be like to cyber date.

I joined the popular site that assures you matches based on compatibility.  The site that preys on the lonely by offering discounts on that chocolate, candy heart, greeting card, marketers dream holiday.  Sheer evil…   

I started my foray by answering a lot of questions and putting up a profile.  I had not paid for a membership yet so I couldn’t see anyone’s pictures and no one could see mine.  I went on every few days and looked at the matches that requested communication.  My co-workers told me I was being too picky and critical just because someone spelled “there” wrong.  Note to self, trust your instinct on that one.  I opened a few and saved them for when I was ready to pay the fee and give it a real try.  I opted for a three month subscription and was now ready to see pictures, and have others see mine.

I went back to one of the more interesting profiles from a man in Scottsdale who liked to travel the world, like me, and read literature.  He also wanted children, just like me.  Pictureless “match” liked to exercise and take care of himself and wanted a partner to join him on his journey, and he wanted to communicate with me!  I clicked on his profile and a picture of my 2^nd grade classmate came up.  I thought there must have been a mistake, and then I realized, the spelling bee champ was reaching out to me…  The class genius, who I went to school with from the time we were seven until we graduated from high school…  The one whose best friend happened to be dating my friend and the two of them were plotting re-introducing us after all those years.   I couldn't do it.

My best friend told me I had to give one of them a chance, so I opened up the site to show her my new matches.  I hadn’t seen the lovely gentleman who were not only matched through scientific chemistry, but then wanted to communicate and take it a step further.  I opened a profile and saw that my match was adventurous.  He had a Christmas tree covered in Star Wars figures... as a  profile picture…  There was a picture of him opening his blazer to show a Superman shirt underneath.  “I’m really being too picky?” I asked.  I scrolled to the next picture and saw my “match” dressed in his Storm Trooper costume.  I admit my girlfriends and I like to don colorful wigs when we’re together and go out, but would we put that as our profile picture when we’re trying to meet Mr. Right?   

I didn't renew my subscription.