Dating Rules in the Internet Era.

For the past few weeks, I’ve been dabbling in internet dating. After years of seeing a bazillion commercials for eHarmony, Match.com, and Chemistry, they finally hooked me with a free communication weekend.

At first, I was a little weary, self-conscious and embarrassed but I quickly got over that. Hours after signing up, I had 12 matches and I felt a little overwhelmed. I started going through profiles and immediately discovered that a lot of guys were making the same eMistakes, yet they’d have no clue because they can’t see each other’s profiles!

In going through about a hundred profiles now, I’ve noticed these common eDating faux pas:

• Surprisingly, a lot of guys put pictures of themselves with other girls as their main picture. This isn’t exactly what a potential date would want to see… you hanging all over some other girl at a bar. Or, even better, there are some guys who post pictures of themselves with a girl on both sides, each kissing a cheek. If you have that many girls willing to kiss you at one time, why are you on a dating site? Also, if there is an arm around your neck, I can generally tell if it’s a guy or a girls — even if you crop their face out of the picture.
• I don’t care if you list that exercise is your biggest hobby. Yes, exercise and nutrition are important, but don’t you do other things besides working, working out, and talking about working out? If not, I don’t think we have much in common.
• Be careful what you list as your favorite book. I haven’t read a book geared toward a male-specific audience in awhile, but that’s because they’re not for me. Don’t list I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell as your favorite book. I know who Tucker Max is. Yes, I find those stories amusing at times, but I don’t want to date a guy who lists that as his favorite book unless you can cite some paper or sociological experiment you’re working on as the reason for reading that book and putting it at the top of your list.
• Don’t list “attractiveness” as the most important quality you’re looking for in a date. Does anyone really want a partner that they think is unattractive? Do you really think there is just attractive and not attractive? What makes you so attractive that you get to put that as your top priority? I may not be the prettiest or the skinniest, but I definitely think I’m both attractive and sometimes sexy (if you like the librarian type) but don’t want to be judged primarily on that.
• List your actual job title or the field you’re in. I’ve noticed a few people that put silly job titles that do nothing but state how bitter you are about your job. Or, how you’re lacking a serious quality about the work you do all day, every day.

I’m not sure how long I’ll stay on eHarmony, but if it keeps providing writing material and potential dates, I’ll keep up with it for awhile.