What bet did I lose?

We all know dating is tough. Be it in a town you grew up in, a town you just moved to, a town of a thousand people, a town of a million. Throw in a narcissistic obsession with image & status, work hours that put hamsters on wheels to shame, and egos as big as the houses that line the streets of Beverly Hills.....and you have dating in Los Angeles. Since moving here 4 years ago I have used every excuse imaginable to stay out of the fray: "I just moved and need friends first," "I am focused on my career at the moment," "My dog is more appealing than most of the d-bags in this town. "

But as time passes and I get a year closer to my first Botox injection, I've had to face reality: like anything worth having in life, love takes work. That means that, like my mother and therapist have been telling me, I have to "put myself out there."

Between working 50 hours a week, working out to stay in Los Angeles acceptable shape, and the upkeep of social relationships that allow me someone else to talk to besides my dog, I don't have much spare time. So I do what any overworked, underpaid, and utterly fabulous single gal would do: I joined an internet dating site. (to remain nameless to protect the innocent....or idiots, depending on how the date goes)

I've done this before and in the course of 2 months went on as many dates. Great dates, but still, 2 dates in 2 months? My 76 year old grandfather's dating calendar is busier than that. As I said before, I have very limited time. And even less patience. Thus, in the past, I have been extremely picky. So, all those guys who sent me 2 line emails never even got a profile glimpse. Never mind that if someone came up to me at a bar and launched into a diatribe about themselves, culminating in a series of questions about me, they would send me running to the nearest gay bar; in the online world, this doesn't fly with me.

Except this time. This time I am seizing every opportunity that comes my way and doesn't appear to be an ax murderer. Well, with a few conditions: those guys sending me emails along the lines of, "Hey baby I think u r fly, want 2 hang out?" will still go ignored. But for those who craft something resembling complete sentences? Game on.

And because misery loves company, I will be sharing my experiences with all of you out there in the virtual world who happen to stumble upon this little blog o' mine. So, open up the Ben and Jerry's, pour yourself a martini, and let's get dating.