Online Dating - Any experiences?

[84porsche]

Just wanted to see what you guys/gals thought of online dating and if you have had any successful or unsuccessful attempts for those that have tried.

[hoff944]

From what I have seen from friends experimenting with online dating, I'd have to say that there is a reason why most of the people who do the online dating thing don't meet people under normal circumstances. There is usually a reason they are going on the internet. If they don't post a picture......you get the hint. If they do post a picture and that checks out, just wait until you see the how unbalanced they are. These are just my observations of a few of the women that a couple of my friends pulled off the net. I've never tried it personally, but I'd have to say don't try this at home.

[A Quiet Boom]

I haven't tried it but if I was single I would. I'd rather take my chances on the internet that some nightclub. What can it hurt? Besides you get to wade through various bios without having to meet someone so it might save time even if they are always truthful. Oh and hoff, maybe it's just me or aren't all women unbalanced to some degree or another.

[RoninLB]

volunteer at the local hospital a few hrs a week. Nurses are great imo.

[hoff944]

Point taken Quiet Boom!

[Victor]

Not personally but a friend of my wifes has been and she never ceases to amaze and bedazzle us with the bizarre array of wierdo's one would never have thaught existed outside of the Jerry Springer show.

Join a gym or something normal.

[cool_chick]

Right after my separation from my ex-husband, I tried it for about a couple weeks....

Not for me.

Ronin's right...volunteer. Also, join clubs (for example, a reading club is great, girls like them, and they read...this is a good thing). Clubs are a great way to meet people of the feminine persuasion with similar interests.

Or hell, do all of it...give internet dating a shot, see where it leads, and find other means of meeting people at the same time.

I also remember reading somewhere that groups organize events like "3-minute dating"....never tried that, but I wonder how successful that may be?

[RoninLB]

I also heard that AA and yoga classes are great.
I knew a guy who had the summers off 'cause he was a teacher. In the early '70's he would get a part time summer job at Kennedy Airport's Hertz/ Avis desk as one of those clerks. Back in those days the stewardeses were all single and young. In a week or two he'd quit. He would have enough phone no's to get him thru the summer in this funky sandbar beach town.

[notfarnow]

Oh man... I'm having a flashback

The horror..... the horror....

[cool_chick]

One time a group of us at work took salsa dancing lessons. There were a few single girls there taking lessons as well, looking for a dance partner for their lessons. So, dance lessons of some sort could be fun and pack potential.

You got some good ideas going here...all are good suggestions.

[Mike(dat's me)]

Hell, it worked for me.

Met my wife on a Yahoo personal. She was a club type person, I was not. We balanced each other out well in the end.

We are both nice looking people... so, no complaints on my end. There may be a few of those "unbalanced" issues though.

[erics944]

Worked for me too. I met my fiancee online.

[djmcmath]

I've looked around at online dating places for a few years -- being Navy, it appears a logical way to meet someone from outside of my local area. I'm often amazed at the sorts of bizarre people who hang out in online personals places. A girl who says she's got a "few extra pounds" means that she's heavy enough to noticeably change the ride height in your 911 just by getting in the car. A girl with no picture is hiding something, just like the girl who says she "doesn't photograph well." Oh, and watch out for the ones who post the picture from 3 years ago, before they had twins and gained 200lbs.

And those are just the ugly ones. Nevermind the "I really just want sex, do we have to go through all the formalities" crowd, or the "ur sucha hawty wanna bone me" types. There's also the complete psychos -- you'd be amazed.

Somehow, the logical part of me says that it carries a lot of potential. I hate bars and clubs (not a drinker, can't stand smoke), so the obvious routes are out. Living in a Navy town produces an absolutely abysmal local demographic (I almost typed "demongraphic" -- Freudian slip?) of mostly men, and mostly blue collar work, so even if I liked the bars, they're largely full of mostly unsuitable women anyway.

(sigh) But best of luck to ya,

Dan

[widebody911]

I've done it, but now that everyone and their brother (and sister) has an AOL account, online dating has descended into sleaze in a similar fashion to ebay. I get much better results meeting women in person that I do on the 'net. As a bonus, it's easier to discern their gender this way, and to weed out the ones who are dimensionally undesirable. There was a chick I knew who wanted me to scan some pix for her to use on a dating site. The pix she gave me were almost 10 years - and 50 lbs - old! Online dating has it's own set of scams, just like ebay. For example, I've had a yahoo personals profile for quite a while, although I no longer use it, and every other week or so I get a message "Priviet! (that's Russian for Hello) My name is Tatiana|Olga|Nadia I am Russian girl seeking American man. I like beach and movies. (blah blah blah) I know there's a scam lurking in there, because the text of each message is very similar; I just haven't bothered to sniff it out.

[RickM]

I have two buddies who continually surprise me with intelligent, good looking women dates. It seems to be an easier way for single parents to hook up as well. That said, there are lots of psychos but if you have a good screening process you should be able to filter them out. Oh, and about the pic, make sure you get a recent one.... lol

[Joeaksa]

Have a couple of friends who did the "Russian" thing and they are very happy with the ladies and how it worked out. Met someone on the internet, then corresponded for a while, went over for a visit and after another visit or three returned engaged.

Joe A

[notfarnow]

Originally posted by RickM
Oh, and about the pic, make sure you get a recent one.... lol

Hey, it's not as funny as you think! Especially when you see the "real her" get off the airplane...

the horror.... the horror....

[RickM]

I don't get it about people who lie online and then go meet in person.

Know the meaning of Zaftig, Rubinesque, BBW, "Shapely", buxom, voluptous, thick, etc....

[SLO-BOB]

This is a test...............

[Jason Porter]

I met my Russian wife on the internet. Hot, sweet, and fresh off the boat, she was already in LA visiting her mom for 6 months, and I grabbed her. Before her though, I went through a period of about 4 months with almost 70 dates, all either idiots, or not my type.

Rules:

1. Meet in public places

2. Never take another person back to your place.

3. Come right out and be honest...why your there, what you're looking for, disqualifying traits not acceptable for your "relationship"

4. Try to find a free site, like www.myspace.com or something, just because all people are cheap to some degree, and there's no reason to pay for it

5. Don't get discouraged. As I already stated, I went out with a grip of girls, none made it past a second date, until I met my wife. You will probably have to dig through the haystack to find your needle.

6. When arranging the meeting, never give your address, or any phone numbers that you don't mind changing.