Its easier for you perhaps

I've noticed a common thread running through many of the replies I've had to my online dating profile. Men telling me to use Yahoo or MSN or whatever "because its easier" - easier for whom? Easier for them in fact, I have over the years used Yahoo and MSN and now I use Skype for family and friends and gchat for vitual contacts - because its easier for me and when the first contact is made and I'm being told to do something by someone I usually think, "no thanks".

Case in point - one of today's replies

"Dear Good Friend,

I'm in Australia now. I want to communicate with you more. If it is convenience, please contact me via Skype or MSN. We can talk face to face, which is much easier and efficient.

It will be my pleasure to communicate with you. Wish you can contact me in your convenience time.

MSN Name : XXXXX@hotmail.com
Skype Name : DXXXX
(Skype is very good for internet chat...internet face to face chat...please could you use the skype!
I have a Skype mobile phone, which is switched on 24 hours a day)

Wish you enjoy everyday. "

~sigh~ no thanks.

The One

.
I've been asked 4 times today if the man I've had only 2 dates with could be "The One", each time I have laughed out loud at the very idea.
If you've been trampled over and had your heart smushed into tiny pieces as many times as I have you will understand that there is a huge HUGE empty patch where 'hope' used to reside in my heart. I can't possible allow even a passing wondering thought into my mind that THIS ONE could be somehow different to the men who have lied and broken me in the past.
Does this mean I approach this new man with trepidation and fear? No not at all, it means that I go out and enjoy his company, I don't worry that it might mean something more or less that he's not contacted me for a couple of days other than he is really really busy at work.
I talk about him with a smile on my face, and yes I'm looking forward to seeing him again soon. BUT I'm not investing anything of myself in him at this point. This is new for me. Of course as its the first time I've actually dated anyone past the first date since my last lover was snatched from me by a stupid drunk driver over a year ago, I may just have forgotten how to get excited about men. ~sigh~ We shall see. Or not, as the case may be. I seem to have so very little influence on the outcome of any of my past relationships that this probably won't make any difference.

Just one line

So after a week or so break from the whole online dating lark I thought I'd check in and see if I'd had any replies to my ad.
In fact I had 14 replies.

6 of them consisted of just single lines

1. "hey how you doing?"
2. "im fred whas youre name"
3. "do you wana suck on my hard cock?"
4. "whats your job?"
5. "I'm not your average guy"
6. "is 23 too young for you?"

Although I'm not expecting an epic novel from anyone making first contact, surely it's not too much to ask for to get more than a single line.
But that got me thinking, what one line would deserve a reply?

First Date

I'm not a Princess, really I'm not. But on a first date I can't help but be a tad surprised to hear my date tell me of the "really cheap" place he suggests to take me for lunch. And when I say really cheap I mean the type of place that prides its self on having 2 pieces of mystery meat for 10p plus noodles. Instead we found a Japanese restaurant which was cheap and cheerful, all bright lights and plastic tables with a conveyor belt of sushi. The food was fine, the company at times amusing but no sparks were shown, not just because of the bright lights.
He was considerably older than he had let me to believe online, either that or he had led a very hard life.
After our lunch he asked "do you want to wander around the shopping mall for a while". My reply was no thanks, and that I'd be heading off to find a taxi home. To his credit he did actually dash out into the road to flag down a taxi for me, he seems like a nice enough man. He also followed up the date with a text a few hours later telling me he had had a good time meeting me.
But no, I don't see a second date in our future.