Online Dating Sites

Image courtesy of valentine-clipart.com

Over the years I have tried several dating sites and, well, I'm still dateless. I don't think online dating is really for me, but how else am I suppose to meet single men? I recently deleted my profile at two online dating sites as the prospects weren't great. When I deleted the profile I really thought I was giving up on dating sites. Then I got an email for ChristianMingle.com and thought what the heck, I'll give it a try.

Past Experience

Most recently I had profiles at Plenty of Fish and OK Cupid. I liked OK Cupid and their profile set-up. I really liked the questionnaire for matching people. Both of these sites are free. I think I had more contacts with OK Cupid. I had a Skype "date" with one person and went out to dinner a couple of times with another guy. I think the quality of eligible bachelors was better at OK Cupid. I had been with both sites for probably around 2 years.

As I'm a Christian, eHarmony has been recommended several times. However, it is pricey and for someone who's on the fence about online dating, I didn't want to waste may money. They do have occasional free weekends and I did try it. There are a bunch of steps you have to take before there is communication outside of the site. During the free weekend I made it through the hoops to email directly with one guy. After a few emails though he stopped communicating.

So my experience with dating sites haven't been great. Actually the person I've talked to the most through the Plenty of Fish and Ok Cupid is someone I know in real life. Oddly enough, I noticed he is on ChristianMingle.com now too.

Creating a Profile

Creating a profile is the most difficult part of a dating site for any online dater. For me, I battle between saying too much and not saying enough. I tried to be really open about who I am and what I'm looking for with my OK Cupid profile. I wondered if it was too much. So I swung the other way with Christian Mingle going with minimal information. Like most sites there is the basic info - do you drink, smoke, have children, etc - questions. But the introduction section is where you either shine or not. I kept it brief with just a few sentences. And it isn't too shiny. It is difficult to come up with something witty when you think you're boring and unlovable - not really high selling points. Given that online dating has pretty much been a bust for me I'm not don't really see the point in putting in a lot of effort (I really did try with POF and OK Cupid).

Christian Mingle has a few more questions in their essay section about being a Christian, past relationships, and what you think your future holds. Since my past relationships have consisted of one 6 month relationship and a handful of dates, I don't really have good answers for that one.

Finding a Match

I don't know if online dating is for me. Actually I'm not sure dating is for me at all. However, living in suburbia doesn't lend itself to meeting single guys very often. Add to it that I live outside a college town, the prospects of meeting a guy in his mid to late 30s is really slim. I tried to go to a networking event last week at the museum, but it seemed cliquish. People either came in groups or already knew people. I found it very difficult to introduce myself to groups that were clumped together. Online dating seems to be the best bet and you would think when 90% of my relationships are through Facebook or Twitter that I would have a good chance of making a connection with a dating site.

I've looked through some of the profiles and a few people have caught my eye. I know people are looking at mine. 43 people have looked at my profile since I created it a week or so ago. But there hasn't been any messages. I've gotten 3 "smiles". I have the free account and I don't think I can send emails through the site and perhaps that is what is going on with most of those who have viewed my profile. I don't know.

I would love to make a match, fall in love, and be married. Yet, I don't think it is likely. Maybe I need a dating coach...

Your Turn

Tell me about your dating (or lack thereof) experience. Have you tried online dating? Any success? If you haven't tried online dating, why not? Do you meet potential dates in real life?

And while we are at it, I know everyone has dating advice. So lay it on me - what's your dating advice?

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A Pampered Weekend

Sometimes I really, REALLY, like being single. Sure I have those moments where I wish there was someone to love me or even have dinner with, but for the most part I like my life. Take Friday night for instances.

Shortly before leaving work for the day, I got an email from the library saying the item I had on hold was available. For this particular book, I had to wait a few months just for my library to get a copy in the system and then spent about a month on the waiting list once the book showed up in the system. I was very excited. And even more excited when I realized I didn't have to put on my publicist hat that evening.

Because of allergies (flared up because I mowed the lawn last Sunday), I had an annoying sinus headache. I decided I deserved a little pampering. What better way than a bubble bath with a great book.

I soaked in the tub for OVER AN HOUR. I was pretty engrossed in my book and didn't realize how long it had been. I was quite pruney, but really relaxed. I thought about checking my email after I got out of the tub, but decided I would just climb into bed and read for a little bit more. Once again time slipped by, and as I turned the last page of my book, I realized it was 1:15 AM. I'm NOT a night person and I've been so tired all week. I only get two days to sleep as long as I want. All I could hope was that I would sleep in.

No such luck. At 6:45 am I was wide awake. Well, I'm not sure if wide is the correct term,  but nonetheless I was definitely awake. At least the dogs didn't insist on going out immediately. I was able to enjoy a lazy breakfast, too bad I was too tired to make something good, and watched old re-runs of My Favorite Martian. 

By about 10 am the dogs were getting antsy though.

And I decided to start my day. I needed to grocery shop, but I wanted to get my toes done. I usually go right before Easter, but the weather has been so up and down I wasn't sure if I would get to wear sandals soon enough to make it worth it. I don't think that will be an issue any longer. And since the mall is on the way to the grocery store...

I really enjoyed the Fuchsia last year, I decided to try the purple sparkle. It's something different than the normal reds I use. I also love the massage chairs. I finished up my grocery shopping and took the dogs out to my parents' house to run in the woods.

Now, I'm going to continue my pampering by enjoying my splurge grocery item - Moose Track ice cream from Aldi's.

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Weekend Warrior..um...Writer

Last weekend it rained all day Saturday. I barely was able to find a time when the rain was nothing more than a mist in order to get the dogs out to potty. I've mentioned I'm a book blogger. As such, I have a review pile that is quite large. Rainy days are the perfect time for curling up with a book. So one option was to spend the day reading.

I've neglected my house a bit as I took on a bit too much freelance work. And finally the kitchen ceiling repair was finished, but there was a fine film of dust and grit on all the surfaces. I'm behind in the laundry, too. I could have spent Saturday tidying up around the house.

I did do a little reading and I wiped down the surfaces in the kitchen, but that was not what I spent the weekend doing. I decided to write a book.

What?!

That is kind of the response I got from the few I shared my idea with. What can I say, everyone is doing it these days. And thankfully, it isn't something your mother would respond with "If everyone jumped off a bridge, would you?" No, writing a book isn't really a bad idea. With any luck, I'll make a little pocket change.

On my other blog, Girl Who Reads, I write a weekly tips post doling out advice and tips, so I have a number of possible topics to write a book on. Actually last winter, I tried to write a full book for book bloggers. It turned out to be too big of a project with all I had going on at the time and I abandoned it.

The past month or so, I've been mulling ideas about expanding my freelance business and what I could do to make a little extra pocket change. A number of book bloggers have started to organize blog tours, myself included. But I also now several do-it-yourself authors, who have asked for advice about setting up tours on their own. Last summer, when I wasn't sure if I wanted to start my own freelance business I wrote a tips post for bloggers and authors who wanted some pointers on blog tours. I had a few other posts I could pair with it and decided that I could put together a short how to manual. I've read several such books. Typically, less than 100 pages on a specific topic - using Pinterest for marketing, etc.

I learned during my dissertation writing that I worked best if I could write an entire chapter in a weekend. One chapter I wrote in a day - over 12 hours. This knowledge strengthened my resolve to write a mini-book. And that is what I did last weekend. Between pasting posts and adding new content I wrote over 4,000 words on Saturday and added more than 5,000 words on Sunday for a total just under 10,000 words.

I contacted some friends in the blogging/writing world about reading through it. I've also contacted a friend about doing a cover. I got great feedback on the manuscript and have spent today addresses a few of their points and adding some information I thought of this week. The second draft is no complete and with it I believe all the content is compiled as well. I've contacted another author friend to read through it, but mostly all that is left is proofreading and polishing and gathering all the front/back matter (copyright page, acknowledgements, etc.). I'm hoping to publish it the beginning of June.

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A Mother's Day Giveaway

Celebrating Moms

I may not be a mom, but I love my mom. I know not everyone grows up with a super great mom, but I did. She is still the first person I call when things go badly (like when my toilet overflowed when I had the stomach flu), but she's also who I call nightly just so she knows everything is okay with me.

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Disclosure: Love2EncourageYou and A Single Gal in Suburbia are not responsible for sponsor prize fulfillment. My Blog's Name was not compensated for this post except for a link on the giveaway form. This giveaway is not associated with Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest or Amazon in any way. Please see official rules in the Rafflecopter giveaway form. All winning entries will be verified.

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Minor Accident Equals Major Headache

A little over two weeks ago I was in a fend bender. I was stopped coming off the loop when the guy behind me bumped my bumper. It really was minor, but it did crack my bumper and mess up the paint. Just enough damage to be an inconvenience. Only thing wrong with the other vehicle - the vanity plate broke.

It was the end of the week before the insurance company contacted me and I was afraid to take in my vehicle before my trip to the Renaissance Festival. I did not want to drive in Atlanta traffic in a strange car and I also knew I would be parking in a field - I could just imagine the damage that could be done.

Instead, I waited until this past Monday to take my car into Elite Paint and Body. I had made plans already with Enterprise for a rental car a week in advance and I also called Monday morning to make sure everything was set for picking me up at noon. I assumed with over a week's noticed that a car would be ready for me. Not the case apparently. I had to wait about 20 minutes while they got a car cleaned up and gas.

I don't really like driving and was nervous about being in a different car (I've driven my car for 13 years). I was given a Ford Focus. Not a bad car, but hard to see out of, particularly when the flap over the trunk is half obscuring the back window because it isn't latched into place. I only drove the car a little ways before stopping to get something to eat and adjust the mirrors. The car felt like it was driving funny, but I thought it was just me driving a different car.

At the end of the day, I'm heading home on a busy highway when the low tire pressure light comes on. I had just been thinking I need to check the vent and door on the passenger side when I get home because something was vibrating loudly. The vibration - a bad tire. By morning the tire was completely flat. For how concerned Enterprise staff seemed about possible cosmetic damage to a car, you would think they would ensure they only sent out cars that were road worthy. It could have resulted in a horrible accident.

I was so dismayed and stressed about the situation. Seriously, I had drive the car less than hour total and maybe 20 miles total. I think statistically the odds of the tire issue being my fault are slim to none.  I tweeted Enterprisecares. The power of social media - you got to love it. Within minutes I had a response and the next morning my local Enterprise was super helpful and apologetic. They brought me a new car to my house and I had no more problems.

I picked up my car Thursday evening and it looks good - the inside is cleaner than it has been in a LONG time. This is the first time I've used Elite Paint and Body. I'm disappointed that no one did a walk around with me when I picked it up. The body shop I used before (they are no longer in business) always went over what they did and had me look at the car to make sure I thought everything looked right.

I'm so glad to be back in my own car. Too bad insurance doesn't cover time, stress and inconvenience a little accident can incur.

Photo credit: Red Car by Laurie Williams

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Georgia Renaissance Festival

Yesterday, I went to the Renaissance Festival. It was great fun. The weather was wonderful (seeing as it was raining when I left home I was a bit worried).

We went last year and really enjoyed Barely Balanced - the acrobatic group - and again this year they were amazing. Too bad they share the stage with the Tortuga Twins - in my opinion they are NOT family friendly. We heard the last minute of their show so we could get good seats for the Barely Balanced Fire show and I couldn't believe that was their PG show.

You can check out some of the Barely Balance stunts on their website.

We watched the glass blowing demonstration. While it was cool to see the tankard being made, it was very difficult to hear what the man was saying. We caught one of the Flying Debris shows - I really should have given the guy my card, he's written a kids book. We went to all three jousts. The guy who plays the good knight this year was very nice to look at. I considered getting the $5 pennant just so I could meet him (the knights were signing them after the show). I'm sure he is too young for me.

I did splurge on one item though:

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