Several things have convinced me that on-line dating sites may not be the best forum through which to meet “normal” men.  Unfortunately, the few that you may find that ARE “normal” usually have some sort of impairment that’s difficult for a woman to overlook.  These unfortunate impairments usually fall into one of two categories:  1. He’s gay and doesn’t know it yet (although the rest of the world is extremely aware) or 2. He’s VERY, VERY, VERY short…. (like, shorter than YOU short)

I’ve had dates with very nice, educated, interesting men that were psychologically sound and seemed to have their lives together.  They were “normal” for all intended purposes because gay men and short men are totally and completely normal but, here’s what makes them nearly impossible for straight, average-sized, single women to date:

Category #1:  He’s gay and doesn’t know if yet (although the rest of the world is extremely aware)

When I first tried on-line dating 2 years ago, I bought a 3 month membership to a site that claimed to choose “compatible” matches for you based on how you answered a very LONG and seemingly arbitrary list of questions.  The catch was, you could not see a photo of the match until you had initiated some sort of contact with them based on their bio description, etc. etc…  Point is, it was bizarre.

After being a member for a month or so,  I was contacted by a gentleman who the site claimed was a 90 something % match with me.  We had a nice rapport over the phone, he was a professional,  well-traveled, and an animal lover… All things I could appreciate.  So, I thought I’d be open to meeting him in person.   Here’s what I learned from that brief train-wreck of a date:

1. It just doesn’t sound right when a man exclaims emphatically “Oh, My God!  Can I just tell you how much I LOVE my cat?!”
2. Gesticulating a lot with your hands while talking should be strictly reserved for women and Italians.
3. While it is completely normal for a man in a relationship to refer to a woman as his “girlfriend” no straight man should/ would ever ADDRESS a woman as “girlfrieeeeend.”
4. While it’s nice to be complimented by your date, it’s just weird when he specifies liking your handbag and pumps.
5. No man (or woman for that matter) should EVER describe their food as being “sooooo, yummy” while eating at a restaurant unless they want a swift kick in the face (from me)…
6. Did I mention that he really, really, LOVED his fricken’ cat?

I guess if I had seen him in person and not met him on-line I would have never gone on a date with him.  This answers the question of WHY this kind of a man has to resort to on-line dating.