7 men, 2 Dates, 1 near Date, suspected food poisoning & a gum infection - August 2011

Has been a busy online dating few weeks!

I got asked out by a bloke from Essex who was a civil engineer, had a kid, did a lot of karate and wrote poems? Was a bit skinny for my liking and the poem thing sounded a bit poncy, he lived too far away and with having his daughter over every other wknd I decided he wasn’t worth the effort  So Mr Kung Fu was eliminated before a first date.

Step in number 2 – David – 37, 6ft, hazel eyes, publicity officer, rented in London and had family in Brighton. (he was the one I ranted and raved over on my FB because he was gorgeous and fit) So I met him for a date, - turned out he was fit – training for a marathon, but not as gorgeous as his pics (they were good pics). Still shaggable mind!

We met up in Brighton and after the first small glass of wine he had sufficiently bored me enough to warrant a second larger glass. Turns out good looking men rely on their looks to get laid so don’t bother to work on their personalities? Shame really.

Once the second glass had kicked in (didn’t take long I’m a cheap date) I had a bit more fun and found it quite entertaining to ask him many random questions to get a better sense of who he was which he seemed to thrive on – I was less bored though rather drunk!!.

Obviously long term this wouldn’t work, I can’t get drunk just to spend time with a bloke. After all the time I’ve spent trying to find the right man I’m pretty sure becoming an alcoholic is not the answer!

I ignored all the alarm bells – ie a 37 year old man who’s longest relationship to date has been a year long?  He also seems to go on a lot of dates but didn’t like anyone? (Don’t even go there!) I did agree to a second date on the assumption that may be he was nervous and would be less boring next time?  However he text me a few days before to say he had met someone else and wanted to see where that went (he met her before me apparently). I wished him luck (though really I was wishing HER luck! lol)

Step in number 3 – Mark 32 year old (pretty good on paper) - worked in IT security , lived in Kent, had his own house as well as a buy to let property, a few cars including a Range Rover. Took 6 months off last year to explore the world and is now working for a bank. So we arranged to meet for a date. He was lost so was late to the pub, I’m sitting in the beer garden with a drink, a  book and mobile handy. You know when someone walks in and you see them pick up their phone to dial and you pray your phone isn’t going to be the one to ring? Yeah that’s exactly how it was! Lol!

However it wasn’t my fault that he didn’t look like his pics, totally not my type, don’t think he got my sense of humour either. He thought it weird that I had a name for my car and referred to "it"  as a "he"  or that I  called myself mummy? He said it would be like him calling his cat Daddy? I was like no the cat wouldn’t be daddy it would be like you calling yourself daddy to the cat? He was like – isn’t that wrong? I was like “well it depends what you’re doing to the cat at the time? PSML! (I’m sorry I couldn’t help myself and I refrained from using the word pussy!). He just looked at me and I was like sorry you walked straight into that one! Lol!

Yeah so like I said not my type, he did ask me for a second date but I politely declined by text and told him we had no chemistry. Next!

In the meantime after just recovering from suspected food poisoning, I get knocked down with toothache so another week of looking for Mr Right was put on hold while I ate only on the left hand side of my mouth and tried not to let the anti biotics space me out too much.

Once better I took a few days off work, off the antibiotics and got myself back on the horse for lots and lots of flirting! There was Alan from Fareham (Portsmouth) I thought he was from Farnham (near Guildford) Slight geographical misjudgement on my part! (Was only one letter out though a good few miles!) Lol!  He was a chef and worked in a pub but seemed to be out drinking a lot and wasn’t too keen on coming all the way to Crawley for a date, I decided there was really no point in pursuing this as the distance was going to be a problem and he was a bit stroppy by text when he’d had a drink? He was also going to go back to studying soon and seemed a bit of a drifter (for a better word) not what I need right now, I need someone who knows what they are doing and where they are going.

There was Pete from London was a builder/decorator who seemed normal enough, funny, up for a laugh and sweet. After a marathon texting session turns out he hadn’t been “well” recently. I didn’t really delve into it too much but turns out he had an ex who had taken his 3 kids away from him in 2002 and he hadn’t seen them since and I’m working on the assumption the “not well” bit was probably some form of depression?. (I do pick em). Not heard from him for a week, may be he’s a bit down? Who knows?, who needs it?

Then there’s football/sports crazy Chris who is also a builder, lives in Bognor, not sure he’s interested, he does text but not as much as the others and I’m not sure I’m going to like coming second to the sport all the time?

Lastly there was Nick from Crawley 36, 6ft 2, Athletic, worked for the drug and alcohol team? Seemed normal enough by email though a little guarded. He agreed to a date last Sunday at the Shipley (one of my fav pubs) but decided to stand me up!

Never in the history of time has a man stood me up, lucky for me it was at a place 5 minutes from my house so I hadn’t wasted much petrol, but there was no text, no call, no apology, no “I’ve changed my mind” nothing, a total blank. He is still alive and breathing because he has been online since.

I ended up going to the movies and dinner with my mate instead so I didn’t waste the effort I had made to dress up but it was still a bit disappointing.

Was a week of mixed emotions as far as my ex's were concerned. I found out my ex Ben who I dated last year (ended in May) got married to the women he met after me - he was lovely and a great catch but we just didn't have enough in common and it would never have worked - so why did it knock me sideways when I found out?. I caught up with my other ex Nate (the psychologist) who I haven't heard from since January - turns out he is off to teach English in Korea for a year or so, possibly moving onto Thailand etc so could potentially be gone for a couple of years (there goes my guaranteed NYE shag!). I also found out my recent  ex John is back on the dating site looking for his next conquest (so much for wanting his independence and to concentrate on his career!). They all seem to be moving on whereas I'm still here!


Needless to say I am tiring  of the whole "online" dating malarky but we are at the beginning of another month, autumn is upon us so I will move on to see what is out there. you have to stay positive, its all a numbers game, sooner or later your number has to come up! Wish me luck, thanks for reading :) xx