Those Dating Sites

I was once a big proponent of these dating sites that are all over the internet.  I've been fortunate in that I've been able to spend some time with a couple attractive, intelligent women because of them.  I even wrote a very positive article about my experiences on such sites.

I think I'm done with them, though.

I'll be honest... I would really like to meet a nice woman.  I'm not asking for much, really.  Sure, I'd want her to be attractive.  Physical attraction is part of the equation to be sure, but she doesn't have to be a raving beauty.  I'd also like to meet someone intelligent.  I'm not talking Mensa intelligent, though that has its charms.  I merely want someone who can put together a coherent sentence, be it verbal or written, someone who has interests and ambitions beyond whatever happens to be on TV any given night.  Lastly, I'd like to meet someone nice... just a woman who is thoughtful, kind and considerate.

So again, I really don't think I'm asking for much.

One problem I frequently ran into is that of communication.  I can't count the number of times that I'd be corresponding with a nice woman, someone I was actually looking forward to meeting, and then... nothing.  I'd often be left wondering what I said or did.  I still have no idea.  I'm respectful, unlike so many of the other men that populate these sites, yet it doesn't seem that I get treated with respect in turn.  I feel it's rather rude to be communicating with someone and then cut it off with absolutely no indication as to why.  I treat people better than that so I would expect the same from others.  I guess it's easy to be rude behind the veil of anonymity that the internet provides.

The other side of the communication issue is that of people's spelling and grammar.  Granted, I'm a writer, so this is something of a hot button for me (plus, I know mine's not perfect), but there are some basics of English that people should have learned in the fourth grade or earlier.  One example... it appears that very few people know the difference between their, they're and there.  Seriously.

My frustration stems, in large part, from my feeling that I have a lot to offer in a relationship.  I'm thoughtful, intelligent, romantic and (I've been told) not bad looking.  I'm not one of these people that feels they HAVE to be in a romantic relationship, but I do know that having a good relationship with a good woman can have a positive effect on my life.  I also know that I deserve to be treated far better than I have been.