Dating Thread 200 - Spring is in the Air, Ghosters Beware

[cravingthelook]

The Rules:

1. The first rule about the dating thread is 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. Know your worth.
8. If it's not fun, stop.
9. Loo update is mandatory.

10. No dating the thread. 11. Treat others as you'd like to be treated 12. Any relationship you have that could get ruined by having a conversation about your feelings, standards and/or expectations wasn't really stable enough to begin with 13. The things you choose to ignore/ tolerate now are the reasons you will break up in the future 14. OLD can get very time consuming. Keep doing other activities you enjoy.

Optional: Please give your irons (potential dates you are talking to) nicknames like Mr Scottish. Initials are allowed (Mr S) when you are an item

Loads of Johnny Vegas types on Hinge at present

Hi all, good thread name.
I think the imminent announcement this evening is making us all feel more optimistic? Even though it looks like we're all still going to be locked up till the end of March, having an end date seems to make a difference.
I certainly cant wait for my kids to go back!! Although dc1 has decided to go to university in Sept rather than defer a year as originally planned so the selfish part of me is going to be mourning the loss of my free babysitter!!!!!

Seeing Mr P tonight

@Dancerinthemoonlight that profile sounds fab. You sound great ! Like banana bread/lockdown nod too

Checking in

@UtterSocks - Thanks for the tip - I hadn't heard of that website, just had a look and I agree, mostly very untidy beardy types. But one cute guy not too far away...

Tentatively back on the thread. Under difference username. I lived on this thread around 2 yrs ago! Been in a relationship for nearly 18mths, which ended a few days ago. Found out he'd been messaging his ex and arranging to meet.
I really think I need to work on myself and be single for a while but the temptation to go back on OLD is strong, just out of boredom. That isn't right is it? Oh well. I may just pop in and give my wordly advise if that's ok.

Funny re beards, I'm definitely in the no beard camp.

I like your profile too dancer

@NotAgainNoMore eurgh that's horrid I'm sorry. How devastating after 18 months. Hope you're ok.
I totally get wanting to go back on, I think its normal

notagainnomore thats horrible 🤬 hope he gets knob rot

Lol I did a microjoin straight after MrC and I agreed to detach I think it’s normal!

But I had several matches straight away (it’s a large city), one started a chat then I though “wtf am I doing I don’t have time” so I disappeared!

@NotAgainNoMore

Sorry that sounds shit I think just join apps when you’re ready might be sooner or later - you might just want to see who is around for a chat.

I’m personally holding out a little bit longer due to work busyness and also so lockdown lifts and we can go for a coffee or pub! I’m possibly moving cities this year so there’s that factor to take in as well.

Thank you clover sloth and sleepy.

Is it just me or do you sometimes need a chat with a man rather than a woman? Maybe it's their tendency to lighten the mood and actually not be too sentimental about life short term?

@Dancerinthemoonlight I like your profile too - it's positive, tells me what you're into, what you're looking for and a rough idea if we'd be compatible, plus a command to action to get me swiping. Without knowing you, I can't think of anything to add.

@NotAgainNoMore oh that's horrible - sorry to hear that. You'll know deep down when it's right to go back on - just be honest with yourself, as it's a harsh place to be if you're feeling upset or vulnerable.

As for the beards - I prefer without too...

A friend sent me this which made me smile - hopefully will do the same for anyone feeling a bit rubbish about the quality of matches on OLD at the moment!

@bangheadhere40 thank you. I'm firmly in the no beard camp aswell.

@Clovertoast thank you

@DdraigGoch I totally get you about forced smiles for the camera, hence so many selfies being horrible, but au naturel shots taken by a friend can be fantastic. When I see a profile with only selfies or passport style shots, I just conclude 'they have no friends...I wonder what's going on there?' Could just be Covid-induced isolation of course.

It's a minefield, I accept.

@notagainnomore - sorry, that sounds brutal - what an arse! Hope you are OK. Personally, I find my female friends generally more fun but we have all been through the mill hahaha. I like to talk to my PT as well - he is quite brutal in his approach to life and I find it refreshing (in the days when we could go to the gym his answer to most thing was to get the boxing gloves on and punch it out!)

@newnamenora glad to be of service re: beardy men! All the ones in my area looked like Bill Bailey!

@Eesha PMSL at the Johnny Vegas lookalikes! So at least they have hair though? An improvement on a lot of what I see in my area (definitely the fat Phil Mitchell types)

@Clovertoast have fun. with Mr P - an early night and The Crown beckon for me!

@TheCatWithTheHat thank you. My idea with the profile was have a few starting points for conversation and what I'm looking for. That way there are things to talk about but not giving too much away

@TheCatWithTheHat - that certainly made me laugh, for the first time in a few days, thank you.

Just checking in, thinking about setting up a new profile in a few weeks. Hopefully after today's announcement dating will start to feel a bit more normal in the summer, and the weather improving has lifted my mood too.
Sorry to hear that @NotAgainNoMore what a shit situation.

👋 I'm going to check in on this thread with a bit of research (ok, I googled for a couple of minutes). I kept seeing this line "if you like pina coladas ..." on lots of profiles. I thought it was some sort of code. But it's just a lyric from a dreadful 70's song. The ironic thing about that song is it's about a couple that fall out of love then happen to reconnect with each other (i.e. not some random off the internet) by searching for someone that shares their love of pina coladas.

@HairyArsedMan that song is a classic, dreadful but a classic

Love that song. Would not think it was original in a dating profile though. I'm old enough to remember the original, it came back to fame recently in a Disney film I think?

... and getting caught in the rain... 🎵 awful cheesy song indeed hairy. And pina coladas are the original alcopop. Sickly sweet.

I'm already feeling the fomo. What if lockdown lifts and we can date again and nobody wants to go on date with me 😱

Thanks for the new thread craving and great profile dancer - gives an impression of the kind of person you are and what makes you tick.

FOMO is such an excellent concept @WeWantTheFinestWines

I think I occasionally go too far the other way sometimes (and my dating "breaks" go on too long). It's nice connecting with new people and apps are a good way to do that.

But I've had some pretty dull/ghastly nights with weird people (even when I KNOW I shouldn't have agreed) just out of loneliness or "something to do" or "curiosity". Or a scarcity mentality, or wanting attention.

I was a bit better last summer and just didn't "follow everyone up I could have just for it's own sake", and I think as I'm getting more confident in myself I'll continue that trend.