I'm having a great time today going to all the forums I haven't seen yet and finding topics of interest. I've been doing the internet dating thing for 2 1/2 years (after 18 years of being absolutely alone, no dates, no nothin'). I ended up dating the very first guy for 8 months until I realized I couldn't deal with his fiscal irresponsibility, the litter on the floor, and his political views. There have been a number of other connections since but nothing beyond 3-5 dates. Thought I had a winner a year ago (at least he had most of the characteristics I was looking for in a man and was "swept away" by me, a nice feeling)...but his former girlfriend got cancer and he went back to care for her. But every couple of months a new prospect pops up, we do some e-mailing, some phone conversations, meet for coffee. Haven't had one run off in the middle but a couple made a pretty hasty exit at the end!! Only scary one, surprisingly, was one with my same profession (a clinical psychologist). Thank goodness we never met. He got exceptionally weird on me after a chatty little phone conversation.

I just haven't found any other way to meet men. Nobody sets me up, there are no single men at church, I can't date my patients!, no single men as colleagues. Have never met someone in a class. And have given up the bars (that's where I met the two husbands...both alcoholics surprise, surprise).

Have a hot prospect I'm meeting this weekend. Hope reigns eternal. He almost sounds TOO good to be true. I have learned to be very cautious and very skeptical. My dating mantra is ... ah, well.