Sunday August 29, 2010
... according to Match.com that is. I received a note from their PR folks the other day, showing some stats about which US cities were heating up their system via winks, emails and chats for the past few months. They are:
Miami, FL
New York, NY
Los Angeles, CA
Chicago, IL
Washington, DC
Dallas, TX
San Diego, CA
Phoenix, AZ
Boston, MA
Houston, TX
Do you live in one of these cities, and have you noticed more singles online and making contact this summer? Or do you disagree with this list, and feel that other locations were overlooked and deserve closer review?
Related: Projected Online Dating Growth to 2012, Top US City for Being Single in 2009.
Wednesday August 25, 2010
Some days, I get a kick out of how many dating questions revolve around whether or not a relationship is viable, healthy or just plain wrong. Others, like the day when I created the Healthy Relationship Quiz, I wonder how many of us actually know what a healthy relationship is, what it looks like in reality, and how to tell when we're in the thick of it.
On paper its easy to tell: healthy means mutual respect, love and caring without abuse, codependency or drama. But we're all human, and sometimes its a tad difficult to tell the difference between being worked on and red flag territory.
So what's your definition of a healthy relationship? What muddies the waters for you, if anything?
Friday August 20, 2010
We've all had it happen: you go out on a date with someone, things go exceptionally well, and then you never hear from them again.
What went wrong? Depending on how you view the world (and the date), it could go a few different ways:
- Maybe he/she got into a car accident on the way home? I should send them an email to make sure all is well.
- Wow, I really liked him/her. I can't wait to talk to them again! Hm, its been three days? I should check their Facebook status and see what's going on.
- I can't believe he/she didn't get in touch with me yet. I sent them lots of emails/called several times/stopped by their work. Why are they ignoring me? Maybe I'll send another email just to be sure they got the other ones.
- Ah, it happens. Maybe they were just grinning and bearing it and I was too focused on myself to notice.
- Hm. They weren't interested? Surprising, they seemed really into me at the time. Ah well, maybe there's something else going on that I don't know about.
- Thanks for sparing me the heartache and time, wondering what if? Now I know, and I can invest my time in other folks who are either really are into me, or who are more polite to let me know they aren't interested.
Of course, there are other possible variations - as many as there are people. So, you tell me. What's a *good* reason for disappearing after a date? When is it okay? And in turn, when is it not? Has someone ever disappeared after a date with you? What happened, and why do you think it went down that way?
Related: Bad Date Stories, Why Are They Online If They Don't Want To Date?, Why Won't He Date Me?, When He Says He Doesn't Want a Relationship,
Saturday August 14, 2010
Lindsay asks: "I just met this guy who seems perfect on paper. Four dates into what seemed like a fairytale and he told me that he's a recovering alcoholic. He goes to AA meetings every week and says he hasn't had a drop to drink in three years. I don't want to throw something amazing away... he really does seem perfect. But I'm not sure I want to get involved with an alcoholic even if he's admitted it. Help?"
In a nutshell: I think it depends on your situation. Notice I say your situation and not the man you're dating. Why? Because the only person you can control or change is you. I don't know your history, nor am I aware if you or another family member has ever struggled with an addiction. But many, many folks who were raised in families where alcohol was a problem find that they are attracted to alcoholics in their romantic relationships. Or, they attract people where alcohol (or drugs, abuse, narcotics) are issues. Now this isn't always the case, and I'm also not saying that any of this is your fault. Its not. But it is something to be think about, be aware of, and act upon if its a theme in your life.
Dating someone with any sort of illness isn't easy, but the first step is the same: educate yourself. Learn everything you can, see how your date's alcoholism may affect you, and seek out preemptive support for when it does. Give it a few weeks or even months to make a decision to determine if dating an alcoholic is something you can do, or if its a deal breaker for you.
What say you, dear readers? Would you date an alcoholic? Have you? Are you an alcoholic? What factors should Lindsay take into account, and what do you recommend?
Related: Why Do I Need Help? He's the Alcoholic!, Al-Anon, Detachment.