Feb 4

First note was to a woman on match. She is 44 and lives within 100 miles. I just realized that she had put an income desire in her profile. So, I don't expect a note back from her. (She wrote back...)

Second note to another woman on match. 38, I live outside her distance preference and am outside of her age preference - she only wants to go up to 45. Why did I write her? Because she seemed interesting. Doubt I will hear back.

Oh, another reason I wrote - Match's 6 month guarantee - I need to write at least 5 people each month in order to qualify for a second six months free if I haven't found a relationship by the end of the first 6 months. Kind of a weird thing to be striving for. Then again, I am parsimonious and like to get my money's worth.

Third note - to an OKC person - 82% match - 24% friend - 0% enemy - lives less than 40 miles away and seemed like someone I would like to know. Sadly, her top age is 44, so I don't think I will hear back from her.

Relationship Blog - A Month (more or less) in dating

Hi. My name is Augustus and I might very well be a blogaholic - and perhaps a date-aholic. Or maybe a relationship-aholic. Or maybe an aholiic-aholic. I love adding -aholic to things. Don't know why. Just do. Where was I? Oh, yeah...

I have decided to document my attempts at finding a romantic relationship over the course of the next month as best as I can. Of course, I might just find one, and then, well, who knows. I might document that. We shall see. I do know that I put a lot of time and effort into the search for a significant other. So I might as well put a little bit more in and document what I am doing. Joy and rapture!

I have been mostly single off and on since my divorce in 1991. I don't know if I was really in a romantic relationship then, either, but it passed for one. Between then and now, I have dated a bunch and have had some monogamous romantic relationships, none of which lasted much more than a year. For what those relationships were, they were great. I am happy to have met all the people I have met, been with all the people I have been with and grateful for the opportunity to experience the experiences I have experienced. I would, though, really like to sink into a nice, long meaningful romantic relationship/partnership.

Given my history, though, is this a realistic hope? Maybe I am not wired for having long term romantic relationships. Then again, maybe I have just made choices that have led me to have shorter relationships and different choices will lead to different results. I was with my wife for most of four years and that has been my longest relationship. Ever. My work life mirrors this issue - I have never really been in a given job for more than 5 years. Hmm, maybe not more than three years...

Still, hope springs eternal

During the course of the next month (at least), I plan to write about my thoughts and feelings and actions in regards to relationships. I will do my best to be as straightforward and honest as possible, without causing undue consternation by anyone who might be referenced here. Part of me would love to post links to the various people to whom I will be referring, but that might be going a little overboard. Then again, if anyone is really curious, I might be willing to provide links to their profiles upon request. In direct email. I mean heck, their privacy is already somewhat compromised from them placing their profiles on the internet, right?

By the way, as some of you may know, I have a draft (not finished by a long stretch) of a relationship book lying around in my room somewhere. I think it is a good, insightful, honest book and should be out in the world. So, if anyone knows someone who would like to collaborate on it (in other words, work on it with me for free and share profits if there are ever any), please send them my way. Or if you know a nice woman...Or both.