91 replies to this topic

[ColoradoPilot]

SH, I want a woman to share my life with. No ulterior motive.

[nextariel]

I don't and I told my best friend to shoot me if I ever even thought about it.

[Marvel]

I don't and I told my best friend to shoot me if I ever even thought about it.

I can relate to that!!! BTW, wonder how many will get it???

[mischievous]

i think i got it...but it might have to be spelled out for me!

i, for one, am nervous about the proliferation of meeting people on the internet and have enjoyed living vicariously through y'all. personal safety is a big issue for me. this is the only board that i'll probably meet people physically (to clarify: after interacting through the net and not knowing them before hand) 'cause each of us has met or dived with someone else and i'm sure i could get personal vouchers from a number of people through the pm system if i ever decide i need a dive buddy where i'm going solo. i've thought of online dating, but sometimes - especially after hearing everyone's horror stories - it doesn't seem worth the effort.

Edited by mischievous, 09 May 2004 - 06:10 PM.

[WisconsinGal]

I tried one awhile back, but I discovered it just wasn't for me. However, a friend of mine that joined the same time as I married his online sweetheart last November, pretty



WG

[scubahoney]

an idea is coming to mind about that comment.....hmm..i think I'll keep my mouth shut for fear of putting my foot in it!

[drbill]

Good thinking 'Chie. I, too, feel much more comfortable about meeting folks from SD than from an on-line dating site due to the loose nexus of connections here. Everyone knows someone who knows someone... Besides, even if the "worst" case, we are all divers and could share a dive (assuming both were suitably qualified to dive together).

Dr. B.

[mischievous]

hah! dr. B, if i tried diving with you i know i'd get lost for sure! i might make a gallant effort to follow you, but i'm glad sapphire and the rest were buddied up separately!

[drbill]

'Chie- I wasn't referring to you specifically in that post, just saying I agree with your thinking. You could easily keep up with me if I located something that would keep me in one place for a while- like a feeding bat ray, or a mating ring of sea hares.

If I'm paired with one other person, I can be a very good buddy (was today). However when there are odd numbers, I always tell the others not to worry about me if I get "lost" or drift off... as long as I'm in the dive park or other Catalina sites! In the tropics if I'm not diving solo (often don't unless I'm familiar with the site), I can be a very good buddy.

Dr. B.

[Walter]

Actually, I found it pretty easy to keep track of both Bill and Sapphire when we dived Casino Point last year. I think they lost me a couple of times, but I always knew where they were to be found.

[happy2dive]

I, too, feel much more comfortable about meeting folks from SD than from an on-line dating site due to the loose nexus of connections here. Everyone knows someone who knows someone... Besides, even if the "worst" case, we are all divers and could share a dive (assuming both were suitably qualified to dive together).

Dr. B.

This SD group is indeed quite special. I've been here, what...one week...and it feels very comfortable. The fact that the regulars know each other off the net contributes to this feeling. And like myself, even if I haven't met anybody in person yet, by reading the posted material whether it be serious or humorous, I gain quite a good impression of a person's character. It's nice to see another member gallantly and seriously vouching for DrB's character on another thread when I joked about DrB's "would-be partner wish list". Also it's special to see a large number of real photos as avatars...no false advertising...indicating that people feel comfortable about revealing who they are.

I once had the experience of becoming interested in and comfortable enough with an architect online. After numerous e-mails followed later by telephone conversations, I felt safe enough to meet for dinner. (Of course I had informed my girlfriends and I had my gsm). His appearance was a shock considering he described himself as fit (potbelly), young in spirit (dressed in a cardigan and slacks my retired-professor father would have been proud of), dark hair (maybe 10 years early, the little bit that was left was grey)...only his blue eyes matched his description. Well, to be polite and considering the earlier emails and conversations which I had truly enjoyed, I went ahead with dinner. Dinner was fine. However, I was thinking...with zero sex appeal, LTR was out the question but there was potential for friendship. He drove me back home and then he wanted to set up a fixed schedule of twice weekly dates(!?). Needless to say, I was struck speechless. When I found my voice back, I had to explain to him that I was uncomfortable with such rigidity. This was met by obvious frustration and demands that I make room in my social calendar...well there was definitely no second date forthcoming. That was scary. Luckily he wasn't a stalker and desisted in his efforts after a few frustrated/pleading phone calls.

So there, meeting via the Net can go both ways. I have a feeling that my SD experience will be quite a contrast to my initial internet dating fiasco and that it'll be a positive one. Even if I don't meet my future dive/life partner here (ColoradoPilot don't give up...I haven't), I have a feeling that I'll meet a lot of good diving friends. I really regret living so far away from all the action. Is anyone heading out to Amsterdam? Unfortunately the only diving offered in this area is in the North Sea or the local murky lakes. Apart from diving, the other main local attraction is sex and drugs and tulips

[Walter]

H2D,

I saw one mistake you made.

He drove me back home

On a first meeting, have your own transportation.

It's difficult meeting people. I do know many of the folks here from personal meetings, although some I've yet to meet.

Walter

[happy2dive]

H2D,

I saw one mistake you made.

He drove me back home

On a first meeting, have your own transportation.

I know I was painfully aware of the risk I was taking. I had the gsm rigged to speed-dial the emergency number and had it in my coat pocket. Also with years of taichi practice (no not necessarily the slow motion type...taichi = kungfu when the fast variant is practiced), I know a few painful selfdefense tricks.

But, I didn't have a drivers license or car....both not needed or rather impossible to have in Amsterdam. Well to clarify, I do have an expired Japanese license which can only be renewed in Tokyo...haven't been back that way in 14 years. And Amsterdam is the only place on earth I know where it may takes years to get a parking permit should you have a valid license and car....so we resign ourselves to cycling. The Dutch don't cycle because this land is as flat as a pancake. They cycle because of the cost of driving...and because we're so cheap (Dutch national trait).

[triggerfish]

h2d....all i can say is "YIKES!!!" . i'm sure you learned from THAT little fiasco!

but rest assured this is a safe place to admit to those errors in judgement. god knows we've ALL been there...

i actually let one of my PATIENTS fix me up with his son! we did meet for dinner, had an enjoyable conversation, and went our separate ways. we both had agreed to it in the first place cuz the patient had cancer or something.

now THAT'S pretty sad, huh?!!!

but this is different. like chie said...i think folks on this board are safe. and at the very least...there's diving to share!

[coppermaus]

I really regret living so far away from all the action. Is anyone heading out to Amsterdam? Unfortunately the only diving offered in this area is in the North Sea or the local murky lakes. Apart from diving, the other main local attraction is sex and drugs and tulips

Hey H2D, the diving may not be great, but there are a lot of other wonderful attractions to visiting Amsterdam. Though I don't have any specific plans to visit, it's definitely a place I will go back to sometime. Being an avid car-hater and bike rider, I fell in love with the culture of biking everywhere. Even women in their 70's with floral dresses are out biking their way through the city, ringing their bells at tourists dawdling in their way (like me). I loved it. It's great to see people staying fit well into their senior years and getting outside. Of course the museums are wonderful and the parks and music scene (The Ex and the Dog-Faced Hermans!!!) and riding out to Het Twiske for topless swimming and the whole laid-back culture, the compactness of the city, lacking urban sprawl... I was quite enchanted with the place.

Boulder is the closest thing I've found in the US to where you live, and shortly after having visited Amsterdam for the first time, I sold my car and moved here. We have bike paths everywhere, making it easy to bike, roller blade or walk to work away from the buzz and stink of traffic. The Boulder Creek runs right by my office, so someday I'm going to take an inner tube to work, just cuz I can! It's pretty clean and disease-free, unlike the canals.

Anyway, next time I get to Europe, I'll be sure to come visit. I know it's a long way to go, but if you're ever in Colorado, I'd be happy to put you up and show you around. We wouldn't do any diving though!