On October 28th, Lara posted the following poll, “If you could pick one dating site to use, which would it be?”

Out of a total of 19 votes the winning answer was “None, they all suck,” with 7 votes. Five places got 2 votes a piece: Match.com, Plenty of Fish.com, Yahoo Personals, Lavalife.com, and OkCupid.

I don’t believe that any of the services suck. Maybe sometimes the people who use the services aren’t as motivated or as sincere as we’d like them to be, but that’s not the fault of the service, in my opinion.

If you checked “they all suck,” then is it because of a bad experience? Did you have a bad date? Or no date whatsoever? Did you feel that they were too pricey for what they offered? Or were there two many weirdos?  Did you check “they suck,” because it was a funny answer? Or maybe because in the past you heard that online dating sucks, maybe you know someone who had a bad experience?

If something does not work then how about instead of complaining and blaming some faceless entity, we instead take some responsibility? Did it suck because you didn’t put effort into the project? Did you put a photo up, write a short bio of “It’s so hard to talk about myself, I don’t know what to say, I like to do everything…,” and then just sit back and wait for the potential suitors to fill up your inbox?

I know that I’m guilty of that. I know that if I am cutting someone short or waiting for the men to come to me, it’s because when it comes to the subject of dating someone new, I’m still quite a bit ambivalent.  I’m not sure I’m up to getting my heart broken again, especially when it’s not yet over my last love.  Why did I set up the profile?  Why haven’t I officially broken up with my absent for 7 weeks boyfriend?  Is it because I’m afraid of being single again?

As you can see, I’m a mess, but you, you, I can help. Stop saying something sucks. Instead make it work for you, especially if this is something that you sunk your hard-earned money into. With the coming of the New Year, people’s priorities change. They get this idea in their heads that they want their lives to fall into line – they have goals and resolutions and being lonely is never on anybody’s list of goals.

Or if it truly does suck, but you’d still like to meet somebody, try some other way. Nobody said that Online Dating was the answer to anyone’s prayers. It’s just a tool, just another way for busy people to meet.

They offer the service, it’s up to you to use it to the best of your ability. Now get out there and start having some fun.

Image credit: All Posters.com

Post from: Blisstree

Online Dating Does Not Suck

Moderati has the ability to provide services ranging from fake incoming phone call to warding off a bothersome wannabe suitors.

Features include faux calls, which are fake calls complete with voice prompts to help subscribers fake a realistic-sounding conversation;faux numbers that send people to a voicemail service telling them they’re a loser; wallpaper downloads of fake significant others, pets and vacations.

For $3.99 per month, Sprint subscribers can use the service’s features.

As a person knee deep in the dating scene, do you think you’d ever use this service or looking back — are there times you wish this service had been available to you?

I’m curious as to whether we’ve become so consumed with rejecting from a distance rather then feeling courageous enough to be truthful face-to-face.  What do you think?

Post from: Blisstree

When You Need Help Faking It

I’ll quote the scenario.

“I dated this cute girl. Everything started out well, but then she started talking and talking. It wasn’t so bad, but her voice was so loud! And that laugh! It put Fran Drescher to shame! I kept up a polite grin the whole time, then made up an excuse to go home right after dinner. You can’t imagine how relieved I was to finally drop that fake smile!

I was just wondering, could I have dealt with the situation better? How exactly do I deal with dates that are honestly… irritating!” — E.V.M.

(He didn’t want me to reveal his identity)

Do you see what I mean when I said that the situation being a dilemma? Gah.

A thought automatically popped into my head when I heard it — Don’t ask your date a question!

Er, seemed like a good idea, at first, but he quickly retorted, “but wouldn’t that open up pandora’s box even wider?! I won’t be able to control the conversation and she’ll keep talking and talking and TALKING!”

Sigh.

How do you deal with a date like that? Will you do what he did and just maintain a polite demeanour — silently praying to all the gods that the date would end sooner than later — then make up an excuse to go home?

Discuss.

Post from: Blisstree

What Would You Do: Dealing With A Loud Date

She reveals, “I was out with this guy and after five minutes I knew he was totally not my type. So I pretended my mom was on the phone and I needed to go home urgently. But while I was pretending to be on the phone to her, it started ringing. So he knew I wasn’t really speaking to her!”

How horrifying!

I once had a friend who snuck off to the little girls room – phone me on her cell phone and asked that I phone her at a set time to bail her out.

As much as I felt bad in doing it, I felt bad for her being on a bad date and resorting to such childish tactics to get out of it rather than feeling adult enough to be able to just state her position and leave.

Oh well, at least he earned the bragging rights – and it’s not like there’s not hundreds of other men who’ve been dumped by Paris that can’t sympathize.

Post from: Blisstree

Even Paris Hilton has bad dates