I think all of this just depends on what you're looking for. Monte, you are right about one thing, I've been here for 12 years, I'm past buying anything on here. Now I'm just window shopping. I'll buy local. Nothing I order from the net seems to fit, come in the right color or is anything like the description in the ad. If I see it up close and personal, I can believe it. I'll stick to my 1000 things about one man theory. You guys can have the "catch and release" party.

Well, dang Monte, I wasnt planning to respond to you, or The ES MonkeyWrench Gang. But, here I am lol. I think we have all found ourselves on both sides, being The Smitter, Smitten,,,, or Smittee. Whatever you call it. Lol. What gets me are the pple who will pull u in, and/ or seduce you, with sex, money, or they'd flaunt their social status in front of u like bait. Last I checked, I don't have gills. Ha Then on the other hand, you read a profile, and like what u read, and want to ask some questions, or just be friendly, and BAM!, that person don't even wanna talk, , , ,, , , , , , , or be friends?!?!? So, I have a tendency to think, I was not enough. But, better yet, thanks for saving me time. Cyber dating, what a platform to pretend, to make up stuff, , , , and have NO COTTON-(@@) ed, ACCOUNTABILITY. Yeah, no need to check in yer morals, you just u don't need it here!!!......... and oh, I used to have in the back of my mind, watchout for the men who are Playahs,,,,, but nobody warned me of the unscrupulous, and sneaky, and back-stabbing women that r here. Its a kunundrum. Not one stereotypical generalization can hold for everybody. So, u gotta stay alert, hope for the best, but, prayer is the best. ~Jamie

To be determined....>m<

Well shucks HDG - it would seem to me that crockage, one sided hiney tingles, unreciprocated smittens, geographical conspiracies and being used for cheap entertainment by making someone look for a needle in haystack would ALL be - deal breakers...>m<

OK QP, you asked, I'll answer- In the outdoor world, Catch and Release is highly admirable, time-honored, sportsman-minded, compassionate and displays a deep respect of natures scaly and gilled critters. Yes, its true, fish have feelings too. On the other hand, what happens when we, as on-line daters, decide to show those same inherent qualities toward our recently found online dating prospect and...theyre not into the release part? You dump em in the river and they just swim back to shore? You lure em into the forest, jump in the truck and drive away quickly but you look in the rear view and theyre running after you, yellin, wavin, cryin and blowin snot bubbles? I just cant picture a woman sitting Mr Wrong down, preparing to give him his walking papers and begin by explaining the Catch & Release theory...If that were to happen to me - be issued the Catch and Release heave-ho, I'd immediately counter by saying- "Is that all I am to you, an unwanted fish...?" I'm not sure of Disposable Partners but I have been known to recycle a few and consumering a heart sounds a bit gross unless it tastes like chicken? The challenge of the hunt is cool as long as you have a hunting license and getting involved with the thrill of the chase is OK as long as you abide by the speed limit. Twisted pleasure? Hey, what could go wrong with that? >m<

Gather around ya'll, ol Monte's gonna spin ya's a cyber-bedtime story- An excited Charlie Brown goes on his first cyber-date. He's going to meet Lucy who, by all her profile words and content, has smitten the dickens out of cyber-dating newbie Charlie. Based on Charlie's profile, Lucy feels the same, although secretly, Lucy wishes Charlie was a little taller, had more hair and actually owned a horse but that's a different story I'll save for another time... Anyway, Charlie arrives at the pre-chosen first date spot. They exchange somewhat awkward greetings as cyber-daters often do, then Charlie steps back to slyly check out Lucy's bod which cyber-dating men often do too and...spies the tip of a football poking out of the top of Lucy's shoulder bag. Charlie immediately thinks 3 things - Lucy has a nice bod, she must like football and he's hit the cyber-dating jackpot... The moral of my story is simple- When it comes to cyber-dating, profile words might be true words but sometimes true words are just too good...to be true...>m<

Awesome quotes are great. When added to a cyber dating profile, well, I wouldnt let your pony go to a full gallop all at once. Hell, it could be words 'lifted" from an article in a woman's magazine - "The Top 10 Lines Women Fall For Every Time..." Here's an example of the reality and nature of the cyber-dating beast rolled into one. I could conjure up the best quote(s) on the profile planet and maybe I get a few emails. I add Above Average Looks bolstered by a few somewhat illusionary "far away" photos, cyber-fudge my height a tad and my email traffic picks up. Throw in a quality, high income occupation to insure no loser-istic qualities and boom-bada-cyberbing, I'm on my way to at least to first base . By the way, padding your indicated horse count can also pay dividends but dont quote me on that... On the other hand, providing the same luscious but borrowed quotes, if I click on 'Resemble my horse" and post photos of myself that truly do resemble my horse, throw in an honest height of 5'-4", and indicate somewhere in my profile I'm temporarily living in my horse trailer in a Walmart parking lot, nooo amount of good quotes, original or not, are gonna cause my email box to fill anytime soon. Whoever sang - "It's only words but words are all I have to take your heart away..." should have saved it for a cyber-dating profile...>m<

Yeaaaaahhhh... cyber/online "dating" if that is what one can actually call it. Most of it is a crock. If one does find that individual who flips your trigger with hiney tingles and all, it's pretty slim that the other party feels the same way. Seems one is smitten, other is not. And what if there are states between you .... good luck with that. I have over the years come to the realization that one must live in reality when it comes to this stuff between a man and a woman. Seems most use sites such as ES for cheap entertainment and a way to pass the time before finally turning off the light. It's the needle in the haystack. If there are any dealbreakers on your list, chances get even slimmer.

Monte your Cyber Merry-Go Round analogy reminds me of my own Catch & Release theory. Some people subscribe to the "Disposable Partner" method rather than exhibit a willingness to work at building a life together, fostering excessive use of the "NEXT" button (break ups & divorce)in real time & cyber space. Others want to take a taste of everything like in a Buffet line, call it Consumerism of the Heart, even though they know the choice isn't a good fit. This rarely ends well for either party. Then there are those whose chief purpose is to reel someone in - challenge of the hunt, thrill of the chase and twisted pleasure in "letting the catch d'jour off the hook". Catch & Release sounds so much nicer than Player, don't ya think?

Sorry, have been away finishing up a refresher course at the Betty Ford Cyber Center. I should be good now, for at least another couple of weeks or so anyway.... HG13 - Let me say this about that. In the early ES years, your cyber-approach/philosophy would have gotten you branded as a "player". You would have been known as a cyber-candy store shopper. The chick, after every first date who would holler- "Clean up on isle 3! Followed by- NEXT!! Yes, it's OK, I guess, to be be mindful, careful and selectful but IF you have created well-worn paths leading to and from a cyber-dating merry-go-round, somebody or somebodys are going to wind up feeling used, especially if word gets out that a particular member is operating said cyber-merry-go-round. And it should be mentioned, those things are too big to hide. Cyber-dating sometimes or often times can be cruel. It can give a whole new meaning to blunt force cyber-trauma. Nobody, real world or cyber wants to hear- "Sorry dude/dudette, youre not it" but cyber-rejection can be an in-your-face experience and can happen with the first contact email and for some, it can happen over and over again without even leaving the comfort of your own home. Lets admit it, if you aint amongst the Above Average Looks crowd, its gonna be awhile before you get considered. But I will say, if a cyber-feller finds out he's just one reject of many, it becomes easier to simply blame the merry-go-round operator and move on. Its all good. it is very easy to fall in love with the "click on next" function relative to viewing dating site member profiles. I dare say, a lot of new members who clicked on their first prospective profile 3 years ago...are still clicking away today. They tell themselves they are still looking but really that's all it ends up being- looking - while listening to their favorite merry-go-around tune... Spending time in the cyber-candy store is not a crime but if you find yourself enjoying "just looking" more than actually buying something, you may have been there too long already......>m<