The joys of internet dating (and why I'll never do it again)

In an attempt to shift my relationship (or lack of therein) existential funk I confess I tried internet dating.

I logged onto one of the sites that popped up on my search engine, signed up and logged on to chat.

Almost from the start I found it easy - the anonymity was liberating, the capacity to talk to people online then and there refreshing and the fact you can see a full and frank profile (and picture) of the individual you're talking to gave me a sense of security.

One guy I stated talking to seemed great. There was a lot in his profile - Bobo1981 - which marked him out as a good guy, caring and interesting.

We started chatting online and really got on, finding so much in common and really getting on like a house on fire.

It made me wonder - could I introduce a guy I met off the internet to my friends - I mean where is the stigma in this?

Surely in this modern age the Internet is just what the bar and nightclub has always been - but instead of drunken lust, which sees beer glasses turning any man under 30 who isn't too much of a prat into an Adonis - and deafening music which means you don't hear what a fool your Adonis truly is, you have sober, intelligent communication with the ability to exit at the touch of a button.

No more drunken gropes, no leery lurching towards you for a kiss - and with the ultimate benefit of being able to know more about a person before you commit to a face to face.

I was beginning to think that the Internet was the future of dating when something flashed up on the IM from Bobo.

"Do u like cum"

I was stunned. Usually in relationships questions of such a nature don't come until at last the third or fourth carnal unions. I was floored. I didn't realise that the anonymity would work against me.

I typed "I don't think I'm the kind of girl you're looking for." to which I got a reply of "Ok".

Ok? It was like, by being in an almost different reality, the sexual etiquette rule book went out of the window.

I know that men see things differently, but at least in real life they play by the rules. And you generally can weed out the freaks, perverts and weirdos using your instincts when you are face to face - something you can't do with the false sense of security you get from anonymity.

I decided then and there that Internet dating was not for me and took my profile off the site. I want to know what I'm dealing with both physically and mentally, equipped with a sense of reality, before I have to deal with the word "cum" in serious conversation - unless it's in discussions about Black Country glam rock group Slade...

Suze x