Shady Lady

To begin this journey I wanted to start with a basis founded in quick, cheap, unscientific journalism.  I created a series of fake online profiles to see what kind of hits I might get - just for kicks.  The first was an intelligent profile of a smart, successful woman ready for love in the Big Apple.  She did not have a picture on her account because she was worried about the stigma attached to online dating for someone in her position at work.  She got 2 messages from quite possibly the most unfortunate looking men in the tri-state area.  She responded to these 2 men to thank them for their interest but to let them also know that she had "reconnected with her ex" and would be deleting her account in the coming days.

After a week or so, I altered this profile to be a little more open, less successful, and ready for the Big L - complete with a picture I found on Google of a moderately attractive every-woman.  She got 3 more messages - this time from older men, possibly old enough to be her dad.  No worries though, she responded to these guys that after going on one online date she realized she wasn't quite ready to put herself out there and would be disabling her profile until things got sorted out.  Whew.  They dodged a bullet filled with crazy.

A few days later, I updated this false profile once again.  This time she was an idiot.  She only cared about being pretty, maintaining her femininity, and having some strapping man help her work out her confusion regarding her sexuality.  Oh, yes... and she was hot.  5'6", 130 lbs, brunette, huge boobs.  She packed quite a physical punch.  Anyone care to guess how many hits?  Go ahead.  I'll wait.

327.  327 men (and a few women) viewed her profile.  She received over 100 messages.  Lucky girl.  While I didn't go through all of them, I took a gander at a sampling.  Some were lecherous creeps.  Others were married guys looking for a hookup.  Several were actually decent guys whose profiles claimed they were looking for a relationship.  And to be clear, I don't doubt their sincerity.  I, too, would take an easy feel-good by a pretty boy if it were thrown in my face.  

This small portion of my journalistic journey has concluded.  I just wanted to see what would happen and give myself a little jumpstart on this trip.