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Is the OkCupid Online Dating Site Ok?

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One of my readers suggested that I sign up for the popular online dating site OkCupid. I wasn’t making much progress on other sites, so I gave this one a try. I found OkCupid fascinating.

Not just an online dating site, it's like a gigantic mirror reflecting a detailed analysis of your life preferences and tendencies. It provides an opportunity to better understand what makes you tick, and it’s cheaper than a psychiatrist.

A new you within reach — Visit AARP Life Reimagined »

There is, however, a catch to finding a catch. You have to answer a gazillion questions to make the site effective, and so do prospective mates. With each additional answer, your percentage of finding a match increases, and the same holds true for your potential match. Both your chances of finding each other increase as you answer more and more questions similarly.

So, I began answering the questions. Like Pavlov’s salivating dog, I kept receiving rewards as I answered more questions. In fact, I couldn’t stop myself as my match percentages increased. First, my tail started wagging, and then I started to bark with excitement. I felt weird.

The questions could be even weirder than how I felt. Such as: “If you discovered upon death you must reincarnate into an animal, but are only allowed a broad choice as follows, which would you select?” On a more personal level: “Are you totally comfortable being naked around your lover, not just during sex?” Or more abstract: “If you were going to be marooned on a deserted tropical island, how ‘big’ would you want the island to be?”

I was sucked into the process. I wanted to reach 100 percent of answered questions and find my perfect 100 percent match. After being practically glued to my computer for three days, I found that I had to answer more and more questions to increase my percentages. I was at 99 percent at 900 answered questions. If I simply made it to 1,000 answered questions, surely I would reach that 100 percent mark.

april 17 part colored April 17

But at 1,000 answered questions and still a 99 percent match, my tail stopped wagging. My bark went silent. I wanted to bite someone instead.

At 1,121 questions and still no 100 percent, I growled and stopped. With a quick search, lo and behold, there was one man who was my 99 percent match and hundreds of men who were 90 percent and higher.

Popular games, delicious new recipes, the latest movie review and more! — AARP Leisure Newsletter

I discovered something very familiar about my Mr. 99% and will tell you about him next week. And, no, he’s not my “ wasband."

Coming Sept. 24: Is Mr. 99% Right Enough for Me?

*Names and identifying information have been changed to protect privacy and security.

Photo:  TonyBaggett /iStock

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