Looking for Mr. Right (in all the wrong places??)

Well, since my last relationship ended a while ago (about a year now) and since my ex has already moved on (got engaged a few months after we broke up and has been married for 3 months already), I'd say it's time for me to move on! It is so hard to meet eligible men, and even harder when I throw a few descriptors in the mix (Christian, gainfully employed, nice, and reasonable attractive). Now the pool to choose from has narrowed considerably. None of my married friends are helping much....some are trying though. There just doesn't seem to be any single/divorced/widowed men alive! So, I'm not going to rely solely on my friends any longer. I'm taking action! Yes, I'm doing what lots of motivated men and women do who are looking to meet single people -- I'm subscribing to an online dating network! I'm trying eHarmony. I've seen the adds and it seems like a secure sight. The matching that goes on according to your likes and dislikes sound interesting enough for me to give it a try.

I've been a member now for one week. I posted my picture and what I'm looking for in a mate. I 've gone through the checklists of "must haves" and "can't stands" and have posted them. Every day I sign in and view the possible matches. For those matches that sound interesting, I begin communicating. As I learn more and more about someone, I can choose to close the communication at any point. I have closed quite a few matches in one week's time. Some I have closed because of the distance (more than a few hours is just too far for me), age, or a recurring theme throughout their communication (like mentioning that they are physically fit and can't stand someone who is not physically fit or who state ideas that are not compatible with my ideas). I've also had men close their communication with me (which is a new way of being rejected). Some for the same reasons I've closed communication. However, there was one that man that I was fairly interested in, but he closed communication. I don't know why and because of the way eHarmony is set up, I can't ask questions. Instead, you are a checklist of possible answers and you select the one that best meets your reason for closing communication.

I'm not looking for the perfect man....I know he isn't out there anyway. And, I'm certainly not the perfect woman, but I am reasonably intelligent, halfway funny, and I don't think I would hurt anyone's eye sight who saw me plus I'm gainfully employed! What more could someone want? Quite a lot actually!

I guess I'll go home tonight and sign in.........maybe this journey will lead me to my Mr. Right.....or at least my Mr. Right Now!

It all began........

My journey began like many peoples'. I have a wonderful life although it is quite different than the life I had planned. I thought I would wait to get married after I had built a solid career, maybe settling down in my early thirties. I planned to have one or two children (twins run in my family and I was excited and scared about that possibility). However, that's not the direction my life has gone. I graduated from college with a bachelor's degree in business administration. My first professional job was as a high school business teacher. And no, I had never considered teaching as a profession, but when I was offered the job (off in the summers and finished everyday by 3:30pm), I accepted. I had no idea what I was in for. I ended up working a lot in the summers and never finished my day at 3:30pm. Since I hadn't planned to teach, I had not taken any education classes, and I had not experienced student teacher or classroom management training. I was hired after school had already begun and though I knew a little about a lot, I didn't know a lot about anything. I really struggled as a teacher (though hopefully that wasn't well known) and felt like a failure. I related well to the students and because I was consistent and fair, I didn't have the discipline issues that a lot of new teachers have. I've really come to appreciate the four years I spent as a teacher, and age has taught me that I don't actually have to know everything there is to know to be successful! Life is funny. In my current position at the community college, I coordinate the high school partnerships program we have. I'm once again working with high school students, faculty and administrators from the school system where I once taught. Could I have been successful in the job I am doing now if I had not had the experience teaching high school in the past? I don't think so. I've come to realize my experiences make me who I am (for better or worse) and life is all about the journey! We might as well hang on and enjoy the ride!