[Brandon]

I met my girlfriend on OkCupid, so I'm going to highly recommend that dating service -- not just because it's free, but because I've had some pretty good success. The first woman I decided to go on a date with is the woman I've been dating for over a year now. Signing up for OkCupid was an act of desperation, but it's probably the best decision I've made in my life.

There's a couple things you need to understand about dating services, however:

1. There's probably a valid reason why people have signed up for dating services. The reason could be because they don't have any success with people in real life, they have emotional problems, they can't get a boyfriend/girlfriend in reality, etc. The reason could be good, but it could also be a bad reason. If you want a physically attractive woman, or someone of a higher quality than what is realistic, then you have to understand that the higher the quality...the less chance you're going to get messages back from them. So if you message a woman and don't get a response, that doesn't mean that you're ugly or anything...that means that you aren't her type and she isn't interested. On OkCupid, your profile will probably already say enough for people to get a decent idea on whether you're dating material or not, so don't be upset if things on OkCupid go slow. You don't need every woman to message you or message you back...you just need to find a woman with similarities, start a conversation, be persistent, and hope that she'll get interested.

2. If you're afraid of being judged for using a dating service, don't be. It's an act of desperation, but that doesn't mean you're desperate. In reality, using a dating service is a very intelligent thing to do because you're searching for men/women on a WIDE scale, eliminating people who don't have your personality while focusing on the people that do. Dating services are just like talking to people in real life...the only difference is that you don't waste a date talking about things you have in common, but spending 30 minutes on their profile reading about them. And even if it was desperate, who cares? I've been in love with a beautiful woman for a year now, and I'm happy. If what I did makes me desperate, I don't give a fuck because it happened to be a good decision. The reason why people may be iffy about dating services is the concern for your safety. However, just like real life...when you meet people you don't know, you run the risk of putting yourself in danger. The first date, regardless of whether it's a man or woman, needs to be public and you need to be cautious. Other than that, the reason why people may be iffy about dating services is because they don't really understand the true concept of it and how effective it potentially is.

3. The first thing you do when you meet someone on a dating service, just like in real life, is you need to be extremely clear about your intention. Some people are on dating services just for one-night stands, threesomes, making friends, etc. You don't want to try dating people who aren't interested in dating because you run the risk of hurting yourself down the road. The person you want to pursue needs to want a committed relationship...otherwise, lack of communication could result into bad consequences.

I've had great success with dating services, but the important thing to know is that it may take time to find someone who is willing to go on a date with you, but remember...my girlfriend was the first woman I went on a date with that I met on a dating service...I've rejected a couple, I've been rejected, but the wait is worth it.

Good luck!