*** The OFFICIAL Weekend Singles Thread *** August 17-19 2007 - Online Dating Sites

August 17, 2007 | WFTR

[WFTR]

Welcome to the Weekend Singles' Thread

Welcome to the thread. We're glad to have you here.

This weekend's topic is online dating sites. We've all seen the ads for e-Harmony on TV and for Match.com at various places around the internet. Yahoo has a personals section. AOL has a personals section. Craig's List has a personals section (if your immune system is strong enough). The local ISPs in most major cities often have personals ads somewhere on their websites. Many specialty websites have arisen for special interest personals. ConservativeMatch.com and RepublicanPeopleMeet come to mind. The question is "Are any of these places any good?"

The major topic of this weekend's thread is a review of these sites. Do you have any experience with any of them? Did you like them? Would you recommend them? In general, how do you feel about online dating? Do you see online dating as being any different from the old personals magazines that we used to see in supermarkets? Would you consider having a long-term relationship with someone whom you met this way?

Again, this topic could be touchy to some people, and we ask that everyone be adult and be considerate.

We'd also like to thank Spirit of Allegiance for thinking of this one. His original idea was to spend a weekend each month looking at each site in depth, and if the topic is popular enough, we may return to a deeper exploration of some of these sites at a later time.

We also have a couple of bonus questions this week, and we'd like everyone to take a shot at one or two of them. They are:

1. What kind of car do you drive? What kind of car would you like to drive?

2. What kind of car would your ideal partner drive?

3. Your ideal partner just won $5000. How does she/he spend it?

[LaineyDee]

However, a couple of weeks ago had a brief flirtation from someone at the local Black Angus Steakhouse that was kinda fun!

*chuckle* I guess I've forgotten how to do that. :)

[WFTR]

Yep, I mean our governor is the disaster.

I'm far enough from the coast that I don't evacuate. I'd rather leave the roads open for people who really need to escape. I often board my windows just to avoid dealing with the hassle of broken windows. Boarding them also means that the sun won't heat the house as much after the electricity goes out.

[pax_et_bonum]

You’re fortunate.

During hurricane season I try to console myself by remembering that I’d rather deal with hurricanes than earthquakes.

Eventually I plan to move away from both.

[JamesP81]

Did you take dancing lessons, or just wing it?

Winged it. But that's OK, she didn't know how to dance either, so it didn't turn out to be an issue.

[WFTR]

I agree. Someday, I hope to be back in the mountains where things are nicer.

[pax_et_bonum]

Mainly, I want cooler.

Houston is very very hot and humid making bad hair days difficult to avoid.

;-)

[WFTR]

I lived in Houston for over two years. I didn’t care for it either, but I would put western Houston (where I was) in the same hurricane danger zone as my current home. Storms have a little time to lose power over land before they reach the western Houston/Katy area.

[pax_et_bonum]

I’m east of the city in an area where we get practically full force winds.

[snugs]

Me to

[BruceysMom]

The first time I tried eharmony they were “unable to match” me. I tried again a few years later and was accepted but I’m too cheap to join. I’ve been on cupid, yahoo, and nocheatersdate.com. Currently I’m a member of singlesnet.com. I’ve noticed one thing in common with all of them. If you pay the money you get MANY more responses. I went on one breakfast date with one guy and it was a total bust. I think the real problem is that there is a man I’m in love with, but the feeling isn’t mutual. So I’m trying to make myself date, but my heart isn’t in it.

On the other hand, I recently changed jobs. I’m now a cashier at a large grocery chain in my home town and it is MAN CENTRAL!! I’ve met a lot of neat guys and it’s all very nonthreatening. No invites yet, but then again there is still that sticky “I love the wrong guy” problem.
I drive a midnight blue 2001 Dodge Stratus and I love it. My dream car would be probably one of the new Chrysler's.
I wouldn’t care what the guy drove.It would depend on our relationship as to whether or not I would have an opinion on how he spent $5000. If we shared finances then it would matter. If we didn’t it wouldn’t really be any of my business.

[DancesWithCats]

However, a couple of weeks ago had a brief flirtation from someone at the local Black Angus Steakhouse that was kinda fun! *chuckle* I guess I've forgotten how to do that. :)

So had I! But our group and his group were stuck waiting for nearly 20" for a table so as people were shuffled around as names were called we ended up sitting next to each other, so we exchanged very brief pleasantries. Then later, I visited the girl's room and he happened to be visiting the men's room at the same time so we were laughing that people will begin to talk and then again, later, leaving at the same time! All very innocent but fun! Nothing much to it at all, but fun just the same. Flattering, too!

[slugbug]

Sorry for my late reply-was moving daughter #1 back up to college this weekend.

1. What kind of car do you drive? What kind of car would you like to drive?

I drive a 2001 Ford Escape in bad weather (ie., snow, rain) and a 2000 Miata in good weather. I would love to drive a Beetle convertible or the Camaro concept car that hopefully will be out soon...or a Mustang convertible would be nice too...or maybe a pickup truck...actually there are many vehicles I'd love to drive (I just love cars!); but all in all, I'm happy with the vehicles I have.

2. What kind of car would your ideal partner drive?

I don't care what kind of car he drives...whatever makes him happy.

3. Your ideal partner just won $5000. How does she/he spend it?

It's his money so he can do what he wants with it...although I'd give him kudos for putting the majority in savings or investments...

[slugbug]

I love a man with a sense of humor and Brad Paisley sure has a good one! Probably why he is one of my favorite artists.

[Nowhere Man]

1. I drive a 1994 Ford Explorer

Dream cars: 1965 Mercury Park Lane (preferrably with the Breezaway roof), 1965 Ford Galaxie, or even get my 1977 Mercury Cougar that I, well my mom, bought new, on the road.

2. I don't care what she drives.

3. Spend it wisely, don't blow it on frivalous things. A bit open I know but I would have to know her situation before I can advise.

As to online dating, I'm a bit leery about them so I have no experience there.

[pigsmith]

I think the real problem is that there is a man I’m in love with, but the feeling isn’t mutual. So I’m trying to make myself date, but my heart isn’t in it.

Similar problem here. I'm trying to decide whether I've simply dreamed up a fantasy that I want him to be, based on what little time I've had with him personally, or if we ever were to spend any time together would I discover that things were best left as a an unsolved mystery.

But alas, we may never find out, since he has a girlfriend of several years, and is in an on-again-off-again relationship, and apparently it's more ON than OFF, as was the case when we met (which must have been during an OFF period).

[WFTR]

Sunday Night Singles
Please freepmail DaveLoneRanger to be added / removed

I'm sorry to be late pinging tonight.

Dave offers another good idea for discussion, and maybe we will touch this subject through the week. Do you believe that the internet offers good possibilities for relationships with or without online dating sites? We all know of a few successful couples who met over the internet, but is this medium really the way to find a life partner? Will we someday look back and see the internet as a big step forward in relationships or will we see it as a disaster that caused more problems than solutions?

Bill

[Hoodlum91]

great topic and appropriate.

I would have been more into the conversation this weekend, but I was running around planning my wedding to a wonderful guy I met online.

We had both tried dating sights with no luck, but found each other on FR instead.

[A knight without armor]

I did not say much because cars are such a blah nonsubject for me. BUT I confess I would love one of those bright red little sports cars where you almost sit on the ground and there are only two seats and no back seat. Yet even as I type this I am picturing me in one wedged under a semi trailer truck full of pigs. If my perfect mate won $5,000 they’d give me half after they paid the taxes on it and we could each spend our half like a windfall. We'd both probably go buy some steaks and shop for ferrets and then secretely give a nice amount to people who need it.