Bored on Valentine's Day, why not try Internet Dating?

Note: The author's views are entirely his or her own and may not reflect the views of RetoxMagazine.com

Bored on Valentine's Day, why not try Internet Dating?

With Valentine's Day looming on the horizon, some of us are preparing to snuggle up around the fire with a bag or Haribo’s wrapped up in our snuggly snowman novelty jumpers purchased at Christmas while pushing tears from our eyes watching ‘Sleepless in Seattle’ or ‘Eat Pray Love.’ My answer to this is to just forget it and enjoy single life, who cares if all your friends are hooked up with their next snatch, be creative and try something different, why not have a go at Internet Dating?

Now some people think Internet Dating is for freaks or losers, but in my opinion it is actually pretty addictive and bags of fun. My obsession with online dating began when I was 13. The Internet was a new imaginary world to me, where I could talk to people about my desires and interests through a click and pretend to be anyone I wanted, in-fact I even met my first proper boyfriend in a chat room at 16. Nope he wasn’t a paedophile, he was a lovely attractive 20 year old man. Now at 25 and single, I’m beginning to have an interest in the Internet Dating websites again, here is a diary snippet from a recent date that I went on.

A diary snippet from a recent date that I went on

"Was meeting Shum my online date at Hodgsons Wine Bar in Chancery Lane. Walking down the lane in the dark, it occurred to me that I might have actually gone mad. What was I doing going to meet some strange man who could actually be a scary axe-murderer watching me from one of the dingy corners; waiting to pounce.

Arriving at the bar I kept staring at the door, waiting for his arrival. The wine bar was cosy with little candles flickering around and there weren’t many people about, so I guessed that the next person to walk through the door would be him. And it sure was. When I saw him, I expected more, in his emails he had boasted about himself and how attractive he was. He was good-looking in his Asian way, but I wasn’t blown off my feet. He took one look at me though and muttered aloud ‘phew.’ Which I guess was kind of complimentary, although a ‘wow’ would have been more appreciated!

We sat across from each other, the conversation flowed very well, he was fairly well-dressed in a ‘I’ve just left the office’ kind of way and I felt very comfortable with him. The conversation was so easy that I can’t even remember what we actually talked about and we consumed a fair amount of red wine. But did I fancy him?

We left the wine bar and headed to a Thai restaurant near the Strand. Once we got to the restaurant I think he was slightly drunk because he grabbed the paper flower off the table and started burning it in the flame and he tried to show me a trick with his 50p coin. I wasn’t too impressed, still it made me laugh and he told me to ‘stop playing footsy with him under the table’ which I didn’t even notice I was doing. I had obviously done it by accident because the more I spoke to him the less interested I became.

We left the restaurant and he paid. We walked down towards Charing Cross after the meal to catch the tube and despite having an okay time I definitely decided that he wasn’t quite my cup of tea. But out of the blue, like a moment of nostalgia from a film he told me to stop and stared at me for a second before leaning in for a kiss. I felt quite uncomfortable at that moment, and turned my head away. For a second he stared at me all puppy-eyed, maybe a little upset. Lost for words I turned away and ran down the tube like a scared little school-girl. A bit immature I know but I smiled to myself as I sat down and listened to my ipod. I felt euphoric for doing something and meeting someone completely random. I hadn’t fancied him but it had been a little adventure in it’s own."

So there you go, it didn’t work out but I enjoyed meeting a stranger in a wine bar and getting a free meal! So if you’re fed up on Valentine’s Day maybe it’s time to step outside your safety zone take that plunge, join Internet Dating because you never know what little quirky spot of fun is round the corner!

Disclaimer: The author’s views are entirely his or her own and may not reflect the views of RetoxMagazine.com. We advice for you to be careful when chatting to people you do not know online and offline, do not disclose any information that may put you in a vulnerable situation and do not meet up with strangers off the internet unless you are of legal age and of solid mind.