Remember how I said I finished up that mystery with the 2 ladies living in the retirement community solving a murder mystery? Yeah. This week my writing buddy and I had to toodle back to the drawing board and weave in a new thread to the plot tapestry. The romance between the detective and the ladies' niece wasn't believable enough, so we decided that they needed to know each other already when they meet.

Hence my need to check out online dating services.

I didn't know much about cyber soulmate hunters. This crazy technology happened long after I'd left the single market. It's pretty easy though. The basic steps are:

#1. Fill out a profile.
This is your chance to put your creative writing skills to use... aka fabricating how you're not a freak.

#2. Post a photo.
Word of advice: while it may be tempting to bribe a super model to use one of their pix instead of one of yours, this tactic could come back to bite you in the butt if you actually end up meeting the love of your life.

#3. Contact.
This is where the fun begins. You look at other profiles, others look at yours, Cupid sprinkles magic fairy dust over the whole process, and shazam! You contact a potential Mr. Right via email, which can lead to phone calls, and eventually to meeting in person.

How do dating sites decide which profiles you get to look at?
It depends on the site. Some use complex personality surveys, others use mathematical algorithms. Generally, you get what you pay for. There are free sites to join, but then you run the risk of hooking up with a loser who's been on unemployment for the past 15 years. The cost of pay sites can be a disadvantage because of the moolah up front, but it also ensures that the people using this service are pretty serious about seeking a relationship.

The main advantage of online dating is that it gives the user control over who they contact, versus having to hide in an empty garbage receptacle in a fast food joint because nerd boy has decided you're his kindred spirit. Don't ask.

A few Online Dating Facts

41,250,000 people have tried online dating.
Percent of marriages in the last year in which the couple met on a dating site is 17%