Dear Tell All: I graduated from UW-Madison six years ago, went to law school in Chicago, then came back here to practice. I had girlfriends while I was in school but have had no luck since my last law-school romance fell apart. What does a guy have to do to find a serious relationship at age 28?
Granted, I work a lot, staying late at the office and bringing stuff home on weekends. That doesn’t give me much time for social events or extracurricular activities. But I have spent a decent amount of my free time looking for love through online dating. I’ve gone out on lots of first dates and had nothing but bad luck. Only one of them led to a second date, and that turned into one of the worst nights of my life. Let’s just say the two of us would avoid eye contact if we ever passed each other on State Street.
All the women I’ve met online sound great in theory. They match my interests and my politics, and they look like my type in their profile pictures. But when we meet in person, there’s no chemistry, either physical or intellectual. I can usually tell the date will lead nowhere after the first five minutes, and she probably feels the same way. But each of us has to go through with it and waste one more night.
I repeat: What does a guy have to do to find a serious relationship at age 28?
A Catch
Dear Catch: The answer is right there in your letter, but you’re obviously too busy with legal work to see it. So let me walk you through the solution.
You’re working too hard to attend social events or extracurricular activities, so you spend your free time with…
…online dating, where the women seem like your type in their profiles but come up short in person. That would lead most intelligent lawyers to conclude…
…that the time you devote to online dating would be better spent attending social events and extracurricular activities.
Think about it: You’re wasting all this time on dates with virtual strangers where there’s no chemistry. Alternately, you could get to know actual women in sports leagues, volunteer organizations, or social situations and focus on the ones who are your type.
Drop the online dating, Catch, and get out there to meet single Madison women in person. I guarantee that your first dates will vastly improve, leading to a second date, a third date, and finally your holy grail: a serious relationship at age 28. Good luck.
Do you have a question about life or love in Madison?
Write Tell All, 100 State St., Madison, WI 53703. Or email tell all@isthmus.com
