Don't Forget to Write...

Ok, so it's happened to all of us in the online dating world. You see someone who piques your interest, so you carefully type out a cute, wtity, short and sweet e-mail to express your interest.

Spelling and grammar error- free: check

Reference to something they wrote in their profile to show that you did indeed read it: check

Subltle little hints at how amazing and wonderful you are and that they'd be nuts to not date you: check

Hitting the send icon: check

Cue the crickets.

I am not a supermodel, nor am I the ugliest woman on the planet. I'm fairly attractive. People besides my mom have told me so. So, what's with the silence after the send button is hit?

I wish I knew.

I will be honest-it lends itself to the thinking that there is something majorly wrong that comes across in your profile pictures that can't be seen in one's own reflection in the mirror. Logically, that's not it. There has to be a reason-a real reason.

One of the nicest "rejections" I have ever gotten was recently. I e-mailed someone who was of interest to me and he wrote me back thanking me for the note and wishing me luck in my search. There is was...he was not interested in dating me, but at least he told me so. That's how it's done-no element of the unknown, and exercising the manners and, quite frankly, respect to let someone know that you are not on the same page. Bravo to you, BaseballBill0473*!

So, the short of it is this: when someone puts themself out there and reaches out, write them back...good or bad, they deserve to know. True, you don't owe them a thing...you paid your monthly fee to use the service and are free to do so anyway you choose, but doing wht's right takes an extra 10 seconds. That is time well spent-I promise.

*I have no idea who BaseballBill0473 is...I totally made that username up.