The Dating Game by Roz Lee

I’ll admit it. I’m not an expert on the dating scene. I found my man thirty-five years ago, and I’ve been married to him for over thirty-two of those years. An article in a Los Angeles newspaper got me thinking about how hard it is to find someone to love these days. Four career women are suing the computer dating service they signed with for breach of contract. They claim the company took their money and provided inferior service. Among their complaints were the men they were paired with did not fit the criteria the women set forth. One woman said the only match they found for her was a man who lived in San Diego. Since she lives in Los Angeles, it was a deal breaker for her. She wondered if there weren’t any eligible bachelors in Los Angeles. Another complained that matching her with someone a decade younger, and who aspired to having children, wouldn’t work since she had clearly stated she was beyond her childbearing years.

If their claims are true I’d have to say they have a case. But what got my attention was the amount of money they paid for this matchmaking service. One woman claimed to have forked over $35,000. Again, I’m no expert, but this seemed like an excessive amount for a service that used to be provided for free by well meaning friends, neighbors and relatives.

Back in the day—after dinosaurs and before computers—we relied on a much simpler network to find a mate. A good number of us were successful, and it didn’t cost us a dime. Our world was smaller then. The pool of available males was confined to the ones we met at school, church, work, and when we were older, the local bar. The free matchmaking services mentioned earlier added a smattering of new flesh to the pool.

Today, computer-dating services are everywhere, and the new matchmaker on the block, the internet has taken the middleman out of the equation. Log on, fill out a form, pay the fee and hit ‘send’. Within seconds, you have a list of like-minded people who are also looking for love. So why is it so hard to actually find love?

Back when—because we understood the limitations on our search, I think we took the time to look beyond the surface to see the real person. Today’s methods expand the shopping from one store to a whole mall, and like looking for the perfect dress, sometimes there is just too much to choose from. We know we can’t try them all on, so we dismiss the majority based on a quick glance. Have you ever taken a chance on a dress you weren’t so sure of on the rack, but once you tried it on, you fell in love with it?

I know the single women out there can’t try on every guy they see. There are just too many choices, but I’m wondering if there isn’t a simpler way to find a guy. Today is the first day of the Chinese New Year, a holiday that lasts fifteen days. In certain areas, there is a custom I find intriguing. On the fifteenth day, single women write their name on an orange and throw it in the river. Single men fish the oranges out of the water. It’s a low-tech way to meet someone new, but if the high-tech way isn’t working for you, perhaps you should try throwing an orange in the river. Happy New Year!

In my debut novel, THE LUST BOAT, Candace has been burned by love, but if Ryan can convince her to give him a chance, they both might find what they’ve been looking for. THE LUST BOAT is available now from www.eredsage.com. Visit me at my website – www.rozlee.net.

Please leave a comment! I’d love to hear your take on The Dating Game, and a big thanks to Beth for inviting me over to play today!