Hat wars and soup-er dates, let the sausage see the roll... The Online Dating Thread reaches 25!

[Yogagirl17]

Erm...hope nobody minds?

bloody hell! I have 15 pages of catching up to do! Type slower you lot...

So Saturday nights I work the counter in the takeaway of an old family friend (he's short staffed and I get a tonne of free curry :) ) Tonight I think a customer may have been flirting with me. I'm a bit out of practice so can I tell you about it and you can tell me what you think?

ok, he's in the carpet business and the owner is buying carpets from him, he's a regular. We used to knock round together when we were really young for a year or two. I'm not certain he remembers me but he's pretty hot! Like some kind of greek god! Anyway... the boss went home for a bit and the god came in. I gave him his order and he kind of hung around. There were lots of pauses from him and he seemed reluctant to leave. He kept trying to make conversation. Oh god, I'm being an idiot aren't I? he was probably just stoned or something. please can you just lie to me and tell me he fancies me? Ta...

Sounds like he has got it baaaaaaad!

Do you work the same shift every week? Does he know when you work? Does he het take away every week?

How bloody exciting!

Yoga - I'm hoping new name, new attitude = new life! Sure as hell feel so much better about my life than this time last year when chump left me, 5 months pregnant with 2 1/2 yo ds to look after. It's amazing how you can heal yourself x

Sponge! I know you don't want to see today's date again, but YEY, you broke your one date only stretch!!! :o

Snape, loving the pics, glad you enjoyed cheesecake, disappointed that you didn't buy real darts and chase Voldemort down the street sinking them into his thick skull from behind.

Bantam, you hussy, who you going to pick??.

Watch, we will be waiting up for details! :)

Am still aware of being a huge gatecrasher, but you lot are FUN!

Nomorepain - Yep. Know exactly what you mean.

International, no, it doesnt count. I have been offered lots of second dates - in fact almost every date I've been on a second date has either been arranged before the first ended or soon after. However the ones I liked then cancel or stand me up. And the ones I dont like then tell me they only wanted me for sex not a relationship anyway.

Which leaves me the dating failure that I am.

Waiting for a watch & bantam update...

The ones you don't like, I'm assuming you've said no to a second date? Cause I have dated know a lot of shmucks guys who would say something like that to save face...

Maybe, but both were longterm single and I suspect serial shaggers daters. Both gave me the impression they thought I was 'up for it'.

I know mens opinions shouldnt matter to me, but in my whole life Ive only ever had one man appreciate me for my mind. not just want to shag me . I didnt think that was too much to ask...

I totally get that frustration. My Mum has been doing a little Internet dating since being widowed, and some of the things these guys say to her...it just beggars belief. It makes me wonder, have men always been like this? Or is this a symptom of living in an age where we don't need to do all the hard stuff like rejecting people face to face, and so feel they can be downright rude about it.

It's not too much to ask Sponge, it's the very least you deserve.

So I can talk about the scientific research do e about how people are far less offensive online when they can see the eyes of the people they're talking to (read it the other day, interesting) and how that leads to offensive OD messages which you'd never hear IRL.

Or I can say the safrican was attractive and smart and funny, and we may possibly have snogged a bit. I don't think we hit each other like with the nurse, but a teensy bit more attractive. And loaded, apparently, although I still forked out £150 on a meal.

Think I'll cancel the game of pool on Monday with the only girl who lives in my city. Not sure if I can cope with the complication. Either of these 1st dates can blow me out for a second date of course so not sure which path to choose here. Or whether I need to choose one

got each other not hit each other. Damn autocorrect.

£150 on a meal!!!

Bantam you sound like just the type of man I am trying to avoid. Poor girls. You need to decide which one you like and follow your decision. Nurse sounded lovely and that you had a connection surely that fairs better than attractive sa girl? We can all put a bit of makeup on to look super sexy but I think it's what's inside that matters more.

Just my opinion

Swanky sushi bar overlooking the Gherkin, with cocktails. Really hadn't known it was going to be so much. I realised I can't date people in London anymore. The travel, the cost, it's just silly

Date does sound lovely though!

Silly is an understatement. We were at Snapes five quid pizza the other day!

But Nomorepain it's just first dates, no one can commit to any one person at this stage.

and god knows the females here comment on mens attractiveness too

I know, just touched a nerve! Personally I couldn't deal with more than one dating buddy at a time.

Well pain look at it from my perspective, I'd arranged date with safrican last week then on Wednesday I get contacted by Nurse, we squeeze in a quick date on Friday which goes well. Do I cancel the date with safrican (these are both 1st dates) given that I canceled a date with her before for one with another girl where there was chemistry, we seemed to get on really well, then she just disappeared without an explanation. So do I assume monogamy with the nurse after 1 date, or see if safrican is a better possibility? As it is they both have pros and cons, neither is perfect and im realistic enough to know they may be dating other people too. 1 date, or the possibility of one date, doesn't imply exclusivity, given people's history of disappearing. Depressing but true.

£150 on a meal for a first date. Wow. I've been short changed. The last date I had sat there while I paid for drinks! I'm going wrong somewhere...

Okay. I get you. Just touched a nerve with me. Good luck with whoever you choose!!

You are opening my eyes to the world of online dating. It's not simple is it?!

Seriously £150 for a meal??!!

Fuck me, I once dated a partner in a City firm who was earning £150k a year (this was 16 years ago, that would equate to a lot more now), he never took me anywhere that cost more than £30 a head. Often a lot less.

On today's date I bought my own coffee.

Time I have also gone very wrong somewhere...

Not at all. I started out 3 months ago assuming I'd meet someone I liked fairly quickly, we'd get each other and move to boyfriend/girlfriend status fairly smoothly. I forgot how self absorbed and weird some normal seeming people can be. But also I've met some really interesting and lovely people. I've grown a somewhat thicker skin and learned not to assume the best, or the worst, but be prepared for either. Nurse may be fantastic for me, or she may turn out to be mad in so many intersting ways, or still married or without a libido or so many other things. Or she may just never call me back after date #2 because I part my hair wrong. I'd prefer to date one woman at a time, but the universe (or match.com anyway) doesn't obey my schedule.