Online Dating Services: I Need Your Stories
Posted on 25 May 2008, at 12:12 pm, by Judie Lipsett
I’ve received several requests recently about doing article on the ins and outs of online dating, and after a bit of thought, I decided to do it. So in order to give as broad a spectrum of how right or how wrong things can go when you are putting yourself “out there”, I’ve decided that I’ll need help…which is where you all come in.
I am collecting firsthand stories from friends and readers about their online dating service experiences, and I would love to hear yours if you have one. If you have a friend who has tried an online dating service, please pass my request on to them.
What I am looking for are a couple of paragraphs (you can determine how long or how short) about your experiences - good and bad. I’ll only be editing for obvious grammar and readability errors, otherwise the words will stay your own. If you wish to remain anonymous just let me know, but I will be publishing the following info with each story: your name (or “name withheld”), age, the service you used. The end result will look something like this:
A couple paragraphs about your experience with online dating. - Bob, 29 [Yahoo, match.com]
You get the idea.
Please email your stories to judie (at) geardiary . com. Please don’t post them here, as I want to save them for the article, but you are welcome to post any ideas you have, questions you might want answered, or other comments. 
And yes, I realize that to get the full story I will have to try it myself; I think I am cool with that. Hey, I’m single…why not? Right? :-/
May 26th, 2008 at 10:31 am
I wanted to add that the email, Twitter, and Facebook responses I am getting to this post have been absolutely fabulous! Please keep sending your stories - good and bad.
This article idea really seems to have struck a nerve - both good and bad - with a LOT of people. There has been so much response and so much excellent information contributed, that this is going to likely turn into a 5 part series.
On my part, I have joined two services and am already impressed by the responses from one; the other not so much.
If you happen to get matched to me, don’t worry: I won’t embarrass you or ever mention your name or city…unless you want me to. And yes, if I get to the point where I am actually corresponding with someone past the supervised email systems that are in place on so many sites, I’ll definitely let them know what is going on. If the guy decides to keep emailing me (or not) will be up to him.
May 26th, 2008 at 10:34 am
I also wanted to mention that some of the respondents are including photos with their matches, some with kids!
If you want to include photos that I can use in the article. please do! Just include in the email that I have your permission to post them.