I can’t believe that I posted the first post on this online dating site a year ago. I started by signing up for eHarmony two years ago now. After a year and a few dates I thought this might make an interesting topic for a blog. So I registered the domain name and started on my way.

This was my first blog. It started off pretty well. I think I posted like 40 days in a row or something. I came up with a few ideas like writing about all niche-dating sites that were popping up all over and adding a little commentary to the weekly news in the world of online dating. Since I have started two others: TVaholic and The Brown Chronicles.

Some eWooing Site Stats

Total Posts: 87 including this one.
Total Comments: 22
Three Most Viewed Posts:

1. Jason Griffin Googles Himself
2. Niche Dating Site of the Week: FarmersOnly.com
3. Guided Communication on the eHarmony Dating Service

My Three Favorite Posts:

1. Jason Griffin Googles Himself
2. You Never Know When Inspiration Will Strike
3. Dating Chemistry and Harmony Online

Goals for the Coming Year at eWooing

• Post More Frequently – Maybe not everyday like when I started but at least a couple times a week. I have a lot of ideas; I just don’t always sit down and write about them right away. Then after a few days it seems like old news.
• Comment More on Others Sites – I can’t really complain much that I have so few comments when I don’t always take the time to ad my two cents to the conversation at other websites I read.

Are there any topics in the world of online dating that you would like more information about? Let me know in the comments and maybe I will add it the eWooing to do list. Here’s to another year, hopefully big and better than the one before.

Below are a few online dating articles for your perusal. We can all use a little help in our search for the special someone. These articles will hopefully help you do just that. With tips, suggestions and commentary from the world of online dating. Enjoy!

PROS BOOST ONLINE DATING
This article about the rise of professional profile helpers for online daters, such as profile writing and picture taking. A few tips can be gleaned from the article or you can just scroll to the bottom for a recap of them. Like what types of words: no games, no cheaters etc. can be red flags to readers of your profile who will think that you have been hurt and have yet to get over it. Sites mentioned in the article are:

• Profile Helper – Your Personal Ad Advisor
• Look Better Online – Great Photos for Online Dating
• Online Personals Watch – Online Personals News and Commentary

Twice Bitten, Twice Why?
This is a funny little story. This seems to take place a lot. I have had it happen to me. It is even weirder when they contact you first as in this case and when you reply they are never heard of again. This is strange behavior indeed. Have you had this happen to you?

Lessons of online dating scene
An amusing read with a few tips thrown in leaving with a little hope in the end.

When tall and handsome turns out short and pudgy
In my view online dating is a lot like offline dating, if people are dishonest in general they are going to continue to be dishonest online. What do you think of all the talk of government regulation of online dating? Should full-fledged background checks be standard? Should there be some small oversight? Should they just stay away completely? I would say closer to the later in my opinion would be good. What do you think?

unHaPPilY single
Write up on the book Why You’re Still Single. A guide co-written by a male and a female so you can get both perspectives on the answer. Other books mentioned in the article are:

• He’s Just Not That Into You: The No-Excuses Truth to Understanding Guys
• Be Honest–You’re Not That Into Him Either: Raise Your Standards and Reach for the Love You Deserve
• I Can’t Believe I’m Buying This Book: A Commonsense Guide to Successful Internet Dating

Leave your thoughts on the above online dating articles in the comments.

I know the movie Must Love Dogs came out a while ago but I just caught it last night on HBO for the first time. It is an OK movie but while watching it all I could think about was: What was PerfectMatch thinking? Why would they want to be associated with this? Not because the movie was bad but because the portrayal of online dating was.

I understand the marketing and promotion idea behind getting your name out in a big screen flick with great actors like John Cusack and Diane Lane. Yet everybody in the movie is lying on his or her profiles or other people have set them up for them.

I thought PerfectMatch was similar to eHarmony or Chemistry.com but that is not what it looks like. You would think it was just like every other dating site out there after watching this movie. You surf through a bunch of profiles looking for someone to strike your fancy not that you are matched via some type of personality compatibility matching system.

Speaking of compatible none of her matches were. If I were PerfectMatch I wouldn’t have wanted to be portrayed in this way. Diane Lane’s character Sarah is signed up by her sister, so, hopefully the sister knows something about her. Otherwise where is the compatibility? Then when Sarah meets these people they are made up of every dating cliché out there. Like the guy who wants to date much younger or the weird guy who cries and can’t understand why he never gets any second dates. These are the matches she got from PerfectMatch. The ones she didn’t go out with were even worse.

Again I ask why would you want to associate yourself with this crappy portrayal of online dating. The only good thing about the movie was John Cusack’s character Jake and his assertion that two people should just put a lot of the small talk by the wayside and be open and honest with their dates. Giving each person a chance to learn about and get to know the real person. If they don’t like it then “you shake hands after dinner and never see each other again.”

Anyways that is my take on this. Have you seen Must Love Dogs? What did you think how online dating was portrayed? If you were PerfectMatch or any other online dating site would you have wanted to be attached to this? Leave your thoughts in the comments.

This should get me caught back up so I can start posting weekly Week In Review posts of online dating news articles and related stories that are of interest to online daters. These articles may have been news or new a couple weeks ago when they originally were posted but the information or stories are still helpful. So here are some more online dating news articles. Enjoy!

Singles – Soulmate Surfing
Persistence in online dating as in dating in general is a good thing cause just when you least expect it you will find that special someone. At least I hope so, so reading about others that have only helps me keep the faith. What about you?

Choosing a mate the rational way
Ahh, the business approach to finding that special someone. While going to the extreme of putting together a dating prospectus may be a bit over the top, at least this guy knew what he wanted and set out to get it. A couple of books are mentioned in the article:

• The Virtual Handshake: Opening Doors And Closing Deals Online – Not about online dating but written by the guy the article is about.
• The Rules for Online Dating : Capturing the Heart of Mr. Right in Cyberspace

Conduct this manhunt indoors
I like the term “indoorsy” that she uses to describe herself. I think I am going to have to start using that in my profile write-ups. As I am more indoorsy than outdoorsy for sure.

A New Column by Dr. Hu Fleming and Amy Andersen – Relationship Help with Two Perspective’s – One Male and One Female
The advice here sounds pretty good. I don’t know about question #1, as I don’t think a strong and successful woman would turn me off as they suggest unless they just really threw it in your face or something. If you are looking for online dating advice specifically then skip to question #2 about faux pas in the world of online dating.

Leave your thoughts on the above online dating news articles in the comments.