What would you put in DATING THREAD 101....

[tanyadm]

The Rules:

1. The first rule about the dating thread is you don't talk about it with people you're dating.
2. Develop a thick skin.
3. Do not invest emotionally too soon.
4. It's all BS until it actually happens.
5. Trust your gut instinct.
6. People vanishing, lying & being generally weird is not your fault.
7. You are the prize-they should be trying to impress you.
8. If it's not fun, stop.
9. Loo update is mandatory.

10. No dating the thread. 11. Read Why Men Love Bitches (aka WMLB), and take from it what you will. 12. Don't serve up moose burgers on the first date (although this is still in debate right now) 13. Matthew Hussey also very useful. And very easy on the eye even if you don't find him any good. 14. IF THEY SAY THEY DON'T WANT A RELATIONSHIP, THEY DON'T WANT A RELATIONSHIP.

ps yes ocelot I have to go to the facebook page to tell this story! because he googleable.

314 it's all learning, isn't it? Your friends know you and they are probably right but are they single? It's tough out there and people in relationships don't generally get that.

Good evening everyone! Quick update, Crumpet has reappeared more chatty texts and I have asked about this weekend what our potential plans were. I'm sick of pandering about and I just thought I'd ask. He's not replied yet and I'm not sure I'll be that arsed if he doesn't. I've got two other potential irons in waiting!

One of them Film has just asked me out to dinner and the other I'm just simmering in the background as I'm not sure I'll fancy him.

Good luck to everyone with dates. Excellent news about Bacon and his messaging Freaky. Loving the sound of the new irons Batshit and excellent dealing with the pesterer. I'll attempt to catch up properly later.

Ida you are North Wales area are you? I'm North West England so not far if there was ever a dating thread meet up which has been suggested in the past.

Lots to catch up on!
harriet good luck on the date and well done on getting out there again...have you decided what to wear yet?
nanny how lovely to read your story! So nice to see the success ones, keeps us all going.
ocelot well done on the swiping, keep going someone nice WILL turn up!
freaky I have good feelings about bacon, I'm so glad it's going well!
laugh I shaved a few years off my age too, for exactly the same reason. Not sure if it's wrong though, I do feel a bit bad about it!
ida that's just weird!!

I'm waiting loo updates from those on dates this evening, especially the gin bar one!

anna I'm waiting for your POF update!

And trills gin bar!

Anna, my friends are both married. So they've managed to find a guy who's properly available but they've never had to date... not really. When you're young, pre kids, it's different. They don't know and could never really know that it can be valuable to have somebody to talk to in the evenings.

I reminded tinder guy there was an idea to meet up & that I didn't do penpals...he read that 2 hrs ago but hasn't responded... Its nice not to be bovvered in the slightest :) But does mean I'm back to zero irons...

On POF I get legions of views but NO messages... I'm mostly fine with this but would just like one well spelt message from someone kind... wondering if I come across too fierce (to put of the monosyllabics!) would someone look at my profile & tell me their view on this? I can PM my profile name...

are you on POF? pm me.

I have a new iron but I'm not sure! I wasn't getting anywhere on POF and got a bit bored so signed up for Tinder this morning. To say he is keen is an understatement! He super liked me, I was on the fence on his photos and profile but thought I'd swipe right as he wasn't a definite no, and he's been messaging me all day. He's very sweet and flattering but a bit OTT. He's asking me when we can go on a date, as soon as possible and just a bit over keen. I have looked him up on FB after seeing on here the stalker methods of putting in their phone number and I really don't think I fancy him from his pictures! I've said yes to going for a drink Monday as it was the soonest I can make. I'll probably go just to be sure as maybe in person he may be more my type or we might click personality wise but because he's so enthusiastic I'm already dreading the brush off text after! Anyone else been on dates with someone you don't think you fancy from their photos?

Yes! Fancying someone can kick in a bit later..often after snogging... Important to connect first

OMG 314 has passed out reading my POF profile

Yes last I've been on dates I really fancied from their photos only to find that I didn't fancy them in real life and I've been on dates I wasn't sure of from their photo only to find I quite like them. I'd go on the date and see.

DrFoxtrot anything from Crumpet yet?

People have looked at my POF profile shame but no messages yet. I do live out in the sticks and I cobbled the profile together in haste today so it probably needs some further attention.

I had a couple of irons on Tinder but one was dull and one was looking for a hook up so they bit the dust quickly.

Exactly 314! I've got friends who have been married for years and they are often ruthless in their advice, they might be right, but they don't understand what OLD is like because they've never done it.

ocelot anything from Tinder guy? I'm the same as you on POF.

Waving :) :) :)
He has brothers - right?

Ooh waving

Ans ocelot

Nothing from tinderguy Anna but 2 much more promising conversations on there already ended without warning so I don't have high expectations...

ocelot and anna thank you, looks like I'll go then not like I have any better offers
Waves back at waving and stalks for further update!
ocelot you are doing fab! Keep swiping!
Guessing the gin date went well!

Middle-aged men in wetsuits.

That is all.

I sorted out a tindr account today and have been chatting to someone most of the afternoon. I have some matches but no messages it seems to be me starting all the conversations. (apart from pof and some messages are just ew lol)

But all my swiping is achieving so far is RSI

And not even taking the edge off the pining

Last MrBeard I was going to cancel as was particularly impressed by his photos n the fact he has a fully fledged beard but when I met him something just felt right.

Handy glad it's going well for you!

Oh my god! I now have 3 irons!

MrBeard obviously. Texts been slow n he ALWAYS online but like him a lot

MrLaw who I went out on a spur of moment date today even tho his reference to wanting to meet his cat woman slightly put me off! He was nice and keen to meet again (suggested tomorrow as I have a free night) but he been very suggestive of us 'being alone' which is annoying me

Then MrSlick who calls me babe in almost every text but is also quite cheeky confident so I'm intrigued now..

Gin bar was a very nice bar. Had a tasting set of 4x single gins between us (with tonic and specially-paired garnishes) and then a cocktail each.

Man was chatty and interesting. 3 hours and didn't run out of things to talk about.

Don't think I fancy him at the moment.

Will have to consider whether I want to go for another date or not.

For some reason I had 8 first-message OKC messages during the day today. Men who message me on OKC are rarely appealing though.

trills sounds like a very fancy and interesting first date! Glad to see your update, not so glad to see lack of chemistry. I find the same with OKC, as soon as I log on, even for a second I get a flurry of messages but all are fairly errmmm unattractive
sparkle thank you for that, another vote for the yes to going even if you don't fancy them at all from their photos. We are going for a drink Monday, I have no expectations and will just go as I am. Be typical that he turns out to be lovely!
Exciting that you have new irons!! Did you fancy Mr Law at all?
muddling I almost always do the message sending, it doesn't bother me really! Hopefully it will pick up for you this weekend

I did a runner at a date tonight. It's not big, it's not clever, but I did it.

Said I had to take a call, and legged it.

Tell us about it Geordie and I've done that before.