Well purse my fanjo, giraffes in wheelchairs and submariners going dowwwnnnn - the dating thread hits 30!

[JulietteMontague]

Off we go...

Ike1, I guess we all have different approaches to internet forums but your post suggest that you 'take it to heart'
I prefer to see it all as banter, any bonding here can (surely) only be very narrow and superficial.
I agree it's useful to share experiences but I dont take anything personally.

Its not an 'issue' because I have decided on how I use the thread but it is an 'opinion' and its lovely to see that other's have enjoyed their experiences on the thread...dont have to have a paritcularly big debate about it...

We do if you are throwing accusations around and blaming me for it......

watch Honestly, what are you doing? I value your input and opinions on here as much as Bantams. I happen to think you took his comments far too personally last night, but no one is trying to vilify you or "win". If anything, most people, Bantam included seem to be trying to move past it.

Mercury-its just that people share very personal experiences on here and that can certainly make you feel that you have really bonded with folk..so yes it would be a very uncomfortable experience to have one of the 'group' be publicly confrontational with me. As I say I use the thread in my own way - if you all did what I do there would not be much of a thread lol

I certainly dont want to derail the thread..so will bow out now for a bit and hopefully things will go back to being dating related and useful.

No. He made a personal attack then moved on......
Not on.

I am allowed to respond.

As others have...

I certainly feel that the support on here is much more than superficial. But maybe that's just me.

Watch, please don't feel attacked and got at. I am sure that no-one wants you to feel hurt or belittled in any way by any of the remarks that have been made. I certainly don't and would be horrified if what I said upthread had offended you in any way. You've been a great help to me and many others on here and you are valued and appreciated by so many people on this thread (as are you all).

mercury your first remark to me was snide, the second is shit stirring of the highest order. Now THAT remark is finger waving. For future reference, I'm far too direct to be underhand in the manner you've suggested.

I am not flouncing, but I will step away from the thread for a while as its clearly gotten rather heated which has resulted in the main business of the thread being forgotten and I'd hate to be part of that.

In other news .. TheAuditor sent me some flirty texts this morning to which I responded in kind .. When he said he was going to start work I said to him hope he could give the client his full concentration .. To which he replied "Will try but u seem to be on my mind 24/7 at the moment xx"

Isn't that nice??

In other other news.. SurreyGirl texted me having not been in touch for a week, saying she's thinking of me. That's all...

Second date with the Artist tonight, although just a quick drink as we both have other stuff going on

My stepping away lasted all the way until I read about SurreyGirl. Awwww ... that's lovely bant. Frustrating, but lovely.

And whilst I'm here ... yes that is a lovely message Kirsty or at least exactly the sort of thing I like to receive

Off to try & lurk more efficiently

In other news..(look, it's a theme) another friend might have a lead on a job for me.

Auditors & Artists both sound good.

Ok while we are blood letting I want to say this. I was when there was the discussion quite some time ago about box ticking racial preferences. A preference is a preference, fine (could be a certain physical look) but, I was personally offended by the idea that this was 'not about race/colour but to 'screen' for people of a similar culture and background' (paraphrasing). This is also a massive stereotype based on assumptions.

I didn't say anything at the time as I didn't want to be accused, by pulling anyone on it, of having a chip on my shoulder. Some things are just wrong, someone being sensitive about them doesn't make them less wrong. Some of you know the shit I've had to personally put up with regarding race with OD and were very supportive to me. I also felt able to share that after I saw the horrified reactions of all of you at the time to the possible racism by The Nurse and Safrican so I know this was an unconscious assumption, but it was there.

Bet the thread has now moved on, by the time I post this. Not expecting a response necessarily, I just feel it needed saying.

That's great news yoga fingers crossed

bant you know the drill .. Report back from the loo please

juliette sorry you've been having a difficult time ..

Kirsty it's just OD I think. We all have our variants of the type of the special kind of twunt we attract. Some are more specialist that others

One of the reasons I've enjoyed following this thread has been the supportive element to it. There have been very few occasions where anyone has got snippy, so I'm pretty sure this will blow over too.

Oh, and watch. midlands

Aww kirsty that's lovely! Exactly the kind of text I'd like too!

bant hmm, I'm not sure what to make of that. Sure its nice to know she's thinking of you, but she's still not planning on doing anything about it, is she? I don't like that.

And in other news! You know, the news about the dating

The guy, ill call him mr funny because he actually does stand up comedy, I started chatting to yesterday, and I have been exchanging messages this whole time. Now I know its really bad to communicate so much before actually meeting, I've done it before and it turned out to be a big let down. But he's so funny! And I'm off work so I have nothing else to do!

Kirsty - that does sound good.

Questions - I had a message off a comedian once and I didn't reply as I was a bit wary of him trying to be funny too much of the time (and maybe expecting me to be funny too - yikes!). Glad it's going well though.

Bant - how do you feel about SurreyGirl being in touch? It's a difficult situation and, dunno, seems a bit unfair to message if nothing's going to happen. Did you reply?

More other news - LM has been to the hospital today and things are looking good! Will talk to him properly tomorrow (and look at his scars hehe) but it's all sounding positive.

Afternoon
Updated profiles now in operation, thanks to the lovely Juliette - my crush gets deeper

Interesting development though, I contacted someone with new me in place, he's just replied that my life seems to hectic for him! Can't bloody win

OWW - great news on LM. I dunno about the text from SurreyGirl to be honest. I wanted to reply 'trying not to think about you' but don't know how it would go down. Seems unfair to the Artist, and while it's good to keep options open in the first few dates, it seems kind of pointless to keep a non-option open, if that makes sense, and distract from the option in front of me.

Dessert trolleys and apple pie all over again..

Too hectic, obviously. No wonder no one accepts me as the intellectual I truly am!

I think if it was a bloke sayng 'thinking of you' none of us would be that impressed, actions rather than words etc but possibly a woman can get away with it more?

Anyway I've decided I'm bored with being passive about LC. I don't know if he's ready to see me again but I'm bored of waiting for him to ask now that we seem to have resumed a normal level of texting, so am going to suggest something. I have a xmas do tomorrow night so will drown my sorrows on the free alcohol if he says no.

Surreygirl may just want you to stroke her ego Bant?