12 Comments
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Good Humor by CK Steefel's avatar

Ugh. I’d hate to post a personal CV with a headshot. Dating apps are like a clever contest. But I guess there’s a bit of that on Substack.

I make a yummy homemade pesto.

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Rick McClelland's avatar

It goes beyond just dating. Modern life is just gamified now. It’s all algorithms, likes, reach on these platforms kind of controlling our destinies in a way. I’ve started searching for a new job and that is no different - I just need a LinkedIn presence now. And opting out to various extents just hinders some opportunities. You can’t completely disconnect unless you’re gonna go full on monk mode.

I’ve never really eaten much pesto though. Id be down to try that.

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Good Humor by CK Steefel's avatar

Algorithms. Jeez. What ever happened to Singles Night at the Temple/Church/Town hall…?

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Rick McClelland's avatar

They still have some of those around (speed dating/mixers) but I gotta say, the modern equivalents don’t seem to measure up to how great I’m told they were in the past. But my experiences there are a tale for a future issue…

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Emily Burnett's avatar

Late to the party, but this is awesome. As a female in the dating scene slightly older than you, these vanilla answers make me feel like a real standout, a knockout winner. Just for fun, my answer to the first question is "apple pie" and I resent the app-provided prompts to the second ones—they're way too much like a cheesy question out of Miss Congeniality

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Rick McClelland's avatar

Glad you liked it, Emily! I wasn't quite sure about this one cause I know how many guys have just putrid profiles and presences as well. So I'm glad it's well received. After a year back on the market, I truly think that there is just bad juju all around and it's sooo hard to cut through the noise and find someone.

Apple pie is a classic though, 10/10 no notes there. I think a prompt is what you make of it and unfortunately too many folks just treat them as afterthoughts or annoyances.

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Emily Burnett's avatar

In my experience, there's just a lot of circling going on on apps. Good ones for sure, recently went out with a really good guy I met from one, time just proved we weren't a great fit for each other.

And about prompts...I see your point. And I have my own strong opinions against some of them, but then again, I could just have seen them WAY too much ;-)

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Joey Held's avatar

I enjoyed all of this but I'm also very curious about the person who no longer dates Ricks or Richards!

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Rick McClelland's avatar

There is no telling what the other Rick did to her. I haven't met very many Ricks on my travels but I've usually found them to be pretty amicable. I can't be held responsible for the actions of the bad ones but maybe I can bring it up in the next meeting.

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Melissa's avatar

Thank you so much Rick for keeping us updated on your dating app journey. I really love your self-awareness. You know what sparks your interest and what doesn’t.

I grew up in an Italian family, so my go-to dish is homemade lasagna from scratch. Lately, I’ve been exploring new recipes, so that might change soon. I’ve tried dating apps recently, but my experience wasn’t great, so I decided to take a break. The algorithm-driven approach can feel limiting at times.

Also, I just have to say again how much I enjoy your article voiceovers. They’re perfect to listen to while I work on things in the evening.

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Rick McClelland's avatar

It’s important to know what you want! The app experience is very up and down. Sometimes it seems like it’s all going super well, other times it’s like standing in a desert of options. Just one of those fluctuations you gotta learn to deal with.

I haven’t had lasagna in forever! Sounds like it’d be a hell of a dinner given your long line of experience. And thank you for the support!

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Melissa's avatar

You're so welcome! I'm looking forward to your updates!

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