Thoughts on Online Dating

Serendipity - Can it happen in real life?

2006-10-10T16:28:00.003+08:00

Serendipity - The faculty of making fortunate discoveries by accident.

Have you seen the 2001 movie Serendipity? A couple reunite years after the night they first met, fell in love, and separated, convinced that one day they'd end up together.

Do you think this can happen in real life? Can Once In A Lifetime Happen Twice?

Share us your thoughts and stories below.

The Beauty of Speed Dating

2006-09-20T11:26:00.000+08:00

" Speed dating is like online shopping. You get a glimpse of the product and a quick description, and then you get to move on without too much wasted investment. And if you happen to like what you see? Well, then you check "yes" and make brunch plans for next weekend. Because after all, what have you got to lose?"

A friend forwarded me an e-mail on how she met her boyfriend through speed dating. She first received an invitation to try out speedmatching from itzamatch.com -- an online dating service that matches up women and men. - She sent the email straight to her recycle bin. No, thank you.

But three days later, she dragged the email back out of the trash and hit Reply. She said "I'm not sure why I changed my mind...What have I got to lose? I recently stopped seeing someone and my life is surrounded with work."

On the speed dating day, she was so anxious as if she was going on a real date. What she had in mind were based on speed-dating scenes in the movies like Hitch and 40-Year-Old Virgin -
but who really believes what they see on the big screen? She wasn't feeling well so she called me up for support and I told her that "Speed dating is like online shopping. You get a glimpse of the product and a quick description, and then you get to move on without too much wasted investment. And if you happen to like what you see? Well, then you check "yes" and make brunch plans for next weekend. Because after all, what have you got to lose?"

As soon as we finished talking on the phone, she rushed to the speed dating venue. she was 30 minutes late and was so worried that she will never have the chance to join the function. When she got there, she immediately filled up the forms and joined the circle. On the first round, she was dateless. She imagined like she was Manny Pacquiao trying to knock out Barrera on the first round...but no luck. It was already four minutes and the fight was just beginning... "ring ring ring" The bell rang and its time for second round... she shrugged and took deep breaths. Then no. 21 sat infront of her and said "I'm really nervous about this because this is my first time. My friend told me to be with him for moral support but he didn't show up. He called a while ago and said sorry, he has an emergency meeting". She stared at him and said "okay, don't worry it's also my first" and the guy said "How many bad first dates have we been on that went all the way through dessert? And we survived those! How bad could this be?" The Bell rang again!

Sometimes you meet someone and just sense that you have nothing in common. When Number 22 sat down, the lack of chemistry was painfully obvious. She stumbled through the basics -- name, age, occupation -- and then hit a brick wall. After a few miserable seconds, she tried again.

"What do you like to do?" He said " I like to set-up japanese cars.... change the tires - make it low profile...assemble a boom boom sounds like JBL, Rockford Fosgate, blah blah blah..." Saved by the bell!

She met a few more men and...times up!

Most of the men at the speed dating event, while not a good fit for her, were perfectly nice, normal guys. There was a sweaty, twitchy would-be politician who wouldn't look her in the eye; a very hands-on plumber whose shirt was unbuttoned to his navel; and an accountant whose passion for Philippine folk music made a perfect match... for her mother. Overall, though, a decent sampling.

"Pass your forms, it's time for the match results!" the organizer said. Announcement was done but her number wasn't called. On her way out, number 21 came up to her and said "whew! that was a rush! Do you want to take it slow this time?".

Jessica and Tom are still together up to now.

Join Speedmatching

Finding the right one!

2006-09-06T16:30:00.000+08:00

Try making a list of what you think is important in the person you want, I.E. has to be friendly, and care about others feelings. Making a list can sort of help you zoom in on who you really want, and who you don't want to get close. But, don't be too picky, with things like, has to have blonde hair, and bright blue eyes, and plan on going to college with a medical major. Being that picky, you may overlook some people who would really be awesome.

Here are some personality tests that are both entertaining and revealing. It will give you a glimpse into your head, your interests, sense of right or wrong, and good or evil, and those cute little personal quirks everyone loves about you.

Are you romantic?

Are you good natured?

Looking for that "right" person?

SIGN UP FOR FREE AND GET MATCHED

Online Dating

2006-06-20T13:28:00.000+08:00

The competition for attention on online dating services is intense. So intense, in fact, that some people resort to lying or posting outdated photos to try and attract that next date.

It's vital that you are honest in your profile and through your photos so that you don't meet (or interact) with others under false pretenses.

So then what are some important things you can do to build a better profile? Here are three specific profile tips you can use to improve your profile right now.

1) Avoid Negativity

Have you ever gone out on a first date where the person you were with complained about his/her work, ex, etc? Such negative talk is a major turnoff. Likewise, negativity is a major turnoff in your profile. Being positive is like a magnet. Being negative is like wearing a skunk aroma.

2) Go From Typical to Unique

Read this profile and tell me if you recognize it:
"I am a fun person who loves movies and music. I like walks on the beach, good conversation, and dining out. I'm looking for someone who is fun and can make me laugh."

Unfortunately, the above describes most profiles - typical and non-informative. Beef up your profile to be more descriptive and unique. Instead of "I like movies," say "my favorite movie is ____ because _______" or use a movie character to describe you. "I'm a lot like _____ in ______ because _______."

Use clever words that are descriptive. Instead of saying "on hot days I like to go to the ocean or on a hike," say, "on a sizzling day my adventurous side leads me to traversing the ocean on a sailboat or discovering a new waterfall that I can cool off under."
Instead of "I like to discover new things," say, "I'm a lot like Indiana Jones in that I love exploring the mysteries of life, while educating my mind to appreciate new things."
Strive to make your profile unordinary by spicing it up sentence by sentence. Be descriptive, unique, and fun!

3) Filter Out Unwanteds

Your profile isn't about getting responses. It is about getting responses from the type of person you are attracted to. Therefore, use descriptions to help narrow your focus to what you want so that you get responses from who you're looking for.
Instead of "I'm looking for someone fun and humorous," say, "I'm looking for a lighthearted man between the ages of 24 and 29 who enjoys the humorous side of life. If you are clean-shaven and can hold a conversation during a 150 mile car journey, then we may be a match. Email me."
In the above example, you created three filters - an age filter (24 and 29), and appearance filter (clean-shaven) and a communication filter (good-communicator). And you did it without offending. But you also created a response filter ("...we may be a match. Email me.") You've helped tell the person what the next step is if they meet your criteria. You've created a call to action, which will help direct interested parties to email you versus waiting.

Now what will you do to make your profile different?

Get Matched Now