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June 24, 2011

Comments

Marcia

This is the first time you've actually made me laugh out loud. I am absolutely guilty of falling for a man's words before I ever met him. And also experienced in all that chemistry disappearing when he couldn't keep up in person. But I have to say, I never had a moment of "please let him be a man." Priceless! Thanks for continuing to surprise and delight. - Mp

Sarah

I, too, fell in love with the words. Lucky for me, the man attached to them was a)a man, and b)charming, smart, and cute. It is the words, really, that made me see beyond what I had been finding myself dating at the time. Thank goodness he was persistent with his writing, or I might not be here with him, 16+ years later, with our two lovable boys, and a marriage built on words - kind, truthful, and loving. I know it's sappy, but I am my brother's sister.

Dad the Single Guy

Great post. As someone just getting back into the dating scene and trying out online dating, I can say I am completely unprepared for it. I am pretty sure there is no real way not to be awkward in that initial note. Yeah, I can do the funny, pithy, engaging note, but it still has an awkward feel to it. I need to go back and read your rules for online dating next.

melina

Hello Dear,

I wouldn't know what exactly you want in a relationship,but i guess the most important thing is being honest with each other.Though i feel reluctant discussing about myself and my current situation to you,cos i don't know how you'll feel.But i guess its important that you know all about me and the current status i am in,so that we'll know if we are to move further.


I have had loads of bad experiences in my past relationship and i wouldn't want to fall into the same situation anymore.I want to count on you, as a respected and honest person with sincerity, trust and confidentiality.I will like you to give me your words that you'll treat me right,if we are ever going to be together.I am telling you all this, then you can decide if you still want to meet me or not, so that we will not waste each other's time.


I've been having problems with my Dad before he passed away , i have left the UK after the death of my Mom in United Kingdom. MY Dad works with Oil Contractors in UK and Africa include some parts of the Asian and American. I work with my father as his personal auditor and we move around for his contracts wherever he is awarded.


My first boy friend, Victor Glashow, absconded with my dad's money which was kept with me after a completion of a contract in EAST London,UK. When my boy friend got absconded with the undisclosed sum of US dollars, this brought the first broken up between me and my dad, cos he thought, we have the deal together, but not knowing that I'm an innocent about this. So my dad has been harsh and tough against me about this before he passed away.



After all these happened to me and caused by my Ex Husband, Then when I perceived all his behaviors towards me and the bad acts of his newly gotten wife I joined a dating site (www.cupidbay.com) where I met an African guy online here who promised heaven and earth that he wants to marry me and make me happy in life; "I never knew I was going from Fry-pan to Fire". The African man told me of an investment opportunities in Africa and he convinced me to come along with lots of money while coming down, which I did. On getting here, all his intention was to take away the money from me and leave me alone.

I came from the United States with a total sum of 3.2 millionUSD with all the money I've gotten from my Dad's business and contracts renumeration before he died. Because the African guy told me of an idea to investment in Oil firms here. When I got here, he made all possibles means to get the money from me and get away with my money. Then when I noticed this, I took the money and my traveling boxes and deposited it with a Security/Insurance Company here in Africa in order to safe myself and my assets. Thereafter I left the guy's apartment to an hotel where I am in right now and from which I am communicating with you now.

Now, I'm in need of your help, I will pay for your rent and give you 30% of the total money in the boxes,only if you could be of help and be honest with me. have gotten the enough money to run myself when I get to USA, i want to come over to your end and we can start a new life together.I want a relationship that base on truth and love, I don't want to live here anymore, you know I'm a foreigner here and it is absolutely danger for me here, so that is why i need your gesture assistance.


How i want you to help me? I have some money, which I've gotten from an over invoiced Contract renumeration executed by my dad with some contractors in Trinidad and Tobago under an Oil Firm , that was the money I brought here for an investment while coming to meet the African guy, but I've hiding the money up from the guy here in West Africa and I've left his apartment, because i might got setup if I did not act fast, so for me to be more safe and secure, I put this money in 2 traveling boxes and got it locked up with a security code known to me only, and I deposited the boxes with some of my traveling luggages with a Security and Insurance Company who render private diplomatic delivery service and i told them that the two boxes are my traveling luggage, which I want to send forth to U.S.A because I'm returning home, then i paid them up their custody and security fee, but I did not tell them that the boxes contain money in order to make everything secure and safe.


So, I want the boxes sent to you while i catch up with you as soon as it is been delivered to you while I come over to meet you and we can start a new life together. Every arrangement for the delivery is kinda perfect, I have obtained customs papers for private freight and there are seals on the boxes showing that it is a private delivery and check performed, it is free from customs checks, it will be delivered at your door step by the diplomats of the security company, you do not need to burn out to receive it. And the boxes have security codes lock known to me only, only me can open the boxes, except if I tell anyone the Code, so the Boxes cannot be opened on the Way of delivery to you.



I am counting on you and i will really appreciate your trust towards this.Let me know if you are still interested in me and if you are willing to help me towards this so that i can give you the contact information of the Insurance company. Hope to hear from you soon.

please if interested here is my yahoo id get back to me so to have a better conversation there(c a r i n g l a d y _ 8 6 @ y a h o o . c o m )

God Bless...

Melinda jebread..xoxo

EricElkins

I didn't mark this as spam because it's such an ironic addition to this particular column!

Lisa

Ha! Love the writing (but couldn't get through the crazy lady diatribe above). Great article. I had a similar experience with match.com this summer - absolutely fantastic emails back and forth. I forgot about my kids for the first time in two years, stayed up late flushed with excitement and fear every time I'd press 'send'; then stomach wrenching minutes passed awaiting a reply. We were 'en pointe', my respiratory therapist and I, a smokin' duo of sparkling repartee. It lasted a few weeks, or the equivalent of 5 pounds of nervous, twittering weight loss. And then we met. Nothing. Crickets.
Lesson learned - if I'm ever on those sites again (I took myself off because for the love of God who has the time for that kind of emotional investment? Who knew?), I'll insist on meeting for coffee early on, before the email heats up, because if the spark is only there on paper, it doesn't amount to a hill of beans. But the 5 lbs was nice.

EricElkins

Thanks, Lisa!

But, whatever you do, don't meet for coffee. At least make it cocktails.

Jen

I just found your blog today. I'm a soon to be single mom of two kids (with no desire to date right now) trying to figure out my new life... I recently started, I don't know...I guess we can calling it "dating"...a divorced dad with three kids of his own and a shared custody arrangement. We have been texting and also had a few late night phone conversations in addition to a few long meet for coffee dates...It is amazing to me that you can really get to know someone with way, but I feel like that is exactly what it happening. Text makes it easy to say the things we think, but can't always say. Your story was funny & sweet and a little bit sad too. Good luck out in the world.

EricElkins

Thank you, Jen. Take a deep breath, and take your time!

mary

Anyone can be witty by email. I'm not saying.. I mean your writing is good:) but so many people are just some kind of alter-egos of themselves, someone they'd like to be in their fantasies. That's the danger of internet. Uncontrolled fantasies far from reality. People please be real, that's much more exciting and you feel it and that's precious! (God, I shared my opinion online. Again)

beckyc

just saw the film Catfish
similar to this
so good

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