Here ends my part of the experiment

I deleted my PoF account on Thursday. I thought about just hiding it, but that doesn't seem right. Not in the spirit of going steady, though I did save the blurb, just in case. I also resisted the urge to save all of my messages, to eliminate any possibility of turning this into something academic, although I may regret this later.

Before I stop contributing to the blog, though, I thought I should put together some final thoughts. After all, if it's good enough for Dr. McNinja... It's taken me some time to find the right mood to reflect but the mood's finally hit so get it while it's hot. (It's not revolutionary but it's what I've learned.)

1) There's a lot of chaff to separate from the wheat, much as there is in real life. In real life, though, the crazies do not approach me. Of course, neither did the desirables, which is one of the reasons I started this whole endeavour, but the PoF experience has made me realize that there are not just that many guys out there that I'm interested in dating. Call it pickiness, call it standards, but you have to sort through a lot and it's a heck of a lot of work. And I'm lazy...

2) A lot of the stigma attached to online dating is just silly. I wasn't totally receptive to the idea of online dating when it was first suggested to me because I'd heard all these horror stories but I can't imagine real life being much different, except that you know what the person looks like for real, unless you've met him or her with your beer goggles on, which is an entirely different issue.

3) There is a great deal of trust involved in this enterprise. I am generally leery of meeting guys randomly, having been well-schooled on the nature of stranger danger, but I was even more cautious with my personal information on PoF, even my name, which I generally did not give out until the guy told me his (the exception being Coast Guard Guy, whom I'd approached).

4) Some people think the Internet makes it okay to ask or say things they'd never say to your face. This is my major issue with the whole experience and it stems almost completely from Married Guy. While I'm not the most moral person, it's not cool to proposition someone you know (or continue propositioning someone that you know without letting them know who you are) when your interest is not returned, especially when you, the propositioner, are married. Married Guy is clearly a shady person and his messages have highlighted the seedier side of online introductions.

Basically, I guess I've learned that Internet dating is just like real life dating, except that it comes with the bonus of making my tendinitis flare up, but I'd do it again, if I fail at going steady with Red Hair Guy.