A slow and time-intensive process...

What you probably don't realise about online dating is the amount of time it takes up. While I accept that you've got to put in to get it out; seriously, how does anyone have the time for this lark?  I presume I can't list this on my CV as an active hobby even though I must have spent 15 hours on Match.com in the first week. 15 hours!  Seriously - I could take up a new language with that sort of time investment. Or even take on that MBA I'm always talking about but claim to not have the time for...
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And, after two weeks, there wasn't even the prospect of an actual date.  And do you know why? Because, and this came as quite the surprise to me, there are a lot of men on online dating sites who seem to only want to engage in email correspondence - and not actual romance.
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And here is an example to illustrate this point.  The first guy to contact me sounded like a very solid prospect for at least an enjoyable date.  Attractive, creative, articulate, funny. Nice one I thought. Good start. He initiated contact by asking me if I liked Orange Juice smooth or with bits. I told him I liked my OJ like I liked my men. Smooth. But with bits. Hilarious he said. Why thank you I replied. And so we continued back and forth trying to out-funny each other. Several hours a day. For two weeks. 
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At no point did he indicate that he'd like to meet me - or anyone else for that matter.  Meanwhile, I was generating (and receiving) some of the funniest one-liners known to man. Two weeks in though, reminding myself that I was doing this to meet the man of my dreams and not to win Irish Comedian of the Year, I walked away from cute creative guy. I still see him online all the time. I wonder if he ever actually goes on any real dates?  Or if he's thought about going into stand-up comedy...
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At the end of my first two weeks online I added the following to my profile. "If I wanted a pen-pal I'd have made a better effort at keeping in touch with Declan from Irish College.  So if you're only interested in non-stop emailing (and never actually meeting-up) please do us both a favour and email someone else.."
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Yeah, a bit prissy sounding but clear nonetheless.  Next.
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