Day 8

One of the problems I've had with relationships in the past is that I tend to let the other person drive the car, so to speak. I feel like I'm willing to try new things, like the other person's hobbies, but somehow in that process I tend to lose my focus on my own interests. Which is kind of strange, since I have a strong personality. So where's the balance between being totally true to yourself, as in, this is me, love it or leave it, and open-minded, as in, sure, I'd love to go to a shooting range with you, even though it goes against everything I stand for? This is what I mean about trying to stay true to myself throughout this online dating process. I think my hobbies and interests make me unique, and I enjoy the things I do, so I want to keep doing them, but then how do I make the time and effort to get to know someone else and their interests? Just something I'm wrestling with as I think about meeting people and keeping an open mind.

In other news, I worried all day about how to reply to *all* the messages that have been piling up over the last few days. Turns out, there only three messages to which I owe a reply. Two receive my "standard rejection" (one guy classified himself as "separated" and referred to his not-yet-ex wife in his profile!), and I spent some time composing a reply to Funny Guy. I don't know why I thought I had too much to handle.

But, I think I identified a new species on JDate. They send you a "flirt" and then don't read or respond to the reply you send. Two people I hotlisted have done this flirt-and-flake technique. I don't know how to spot them ahead of time, but I do know they're out there.

And finally, B. emailed to say he'd get tickets tomorrow for our date Saturday. Cute! I have a million questions I want to ask him, and I think it's because he's a little mysterious in the emails he's sent. And by mysterious, I could mean evasive. I'm not sure if he's shy, or not getting my questions, or deliberately avoiding them. Hmmm.