Valentine’s? Shmalentine’s!
You see, I wouldn’t call myself romantically challenged by any definition; after all I cried watching Bambi, squeaked with glee when Ross and Rachel finally got together and drew love hearts for 3 weeks after reading Twilight. But when it comes to Valentine’s Day and its subsequent consumerism, I draw the line. I’m glad it’s over for another year. Please don’t think of me as a miserable old mooh but a bouquet on Valentine’s Day just feels like an obligation rather than the token of affection it is intended to be.
This won’t come as any surprise but statistically men are more than happy to go without a gift on Valentine’s Day, as opposed to women who may say they don’t want something, but secretly do. Do we really need grand and predictable gestures to assure ourselves that our Romeo or Juliet is still truly, madly, deeply?
Why is it that we need cards adorned with googly-eyed cupids and nougat filled choc hearts to make us feel loved? Don’t get me wrong I love chocolate/diamonds/flowers/insert-your-favourite as much as any other person but when I think of my other half I don’t think of cards etc. What I see in my mind’s eye, are the little idiosyncrasies that make him unique and which have me gushing….like the way he smiles when I wake him in the morning. His utterly contagious hyena laugh and how he pulls up his cute little chin when he’s concentrating. Like the way only one of his hugs can soothe me after a hectic day and how he can’t remember people’s names but every football score since the first caveman kicked a pebble. The way he chameleon-like propels his tongue out to moisten his fingers when he’s reading the newspaper and his amazing ability to talk to anyone about anything. The way he – even after 11 years – still thinks I’m gorgeous.
This is what makes him special to me and why I love him. 365 days of the year, for the next and the one after that. Now, if you’ll excuse me – I have got to go and eat that box of Thornton’s I gave him for Valentine’s.
Catch of the Week
Check out our catch of the week!
“Hi Im Jann, I’m a positive, bubbly girl who likes to laugh. Love doing new things and having adventures. I like people who enjoy life and dont take themselves too seriously. Ive never joined a site before so im a little bit shy 
Fancy sending Jann a message? Just click here if you’re a Plenty More Fish member. If not, sign yourself up for free at Plenty More Fish today!
Check out our new TV ad!
We’re all familiar with the romantic love story of Romeo and Juliet, but what happens when the modern day Juliet can’t find her perfect match? Well, she signs up to Plenty More Fish and tries out online dating of course. It’s true, just check out our new advert appearing on your television screen for the first time tonight! Can’t wait that long? Oh go on then, we’ll let you have a sneak peak.
We’d love to know what you think of our new Plenty More Fish ad, so please leave your comments in the box below. Enjoy!
Success with Plenty More Silver Fish
Here at the Plenty More Fish towers nothing makes us happier than finding out that our members have had success on our site – afterall, that’s what we’re here for. So when we got this lovely success story from Lynne and Roy we were over the moon.
“We met for the first time in Decemeber and knew straight away that we felt we had met someone special. It was a lovely Christmas present! Since then our relationship is going from strength to strength and we are both so happy in each others company.“
I’m sure you’ll all join us in saying a huge congratulations to Lynne and Roy and wishing them all the best for their future together.
Why not log into your account on Plenty More Fish and see if you can find that special person.
Monday’s Catch
We’ve got a treat for you to help beat those Monday morning blues. Meet this weeks great catch – Dave.
A 25 year old self emplyed Tree Surgeon from West Sussex, Dave leads a fairly active life both in and out of work. He enjoys meeting new people and says he’s “an easy going and social person”. Dave is always up for a chat so why not drop him a message and say ‘hi’
Fancy sending Dave a message? Just click here if you’re a Plenty More Fish member. If not, sign yourself up for free on Plenty More Fish today!
Don’t settle for ‘Mr or Ms. Wrong’
All your friends are taken, acquaintances all seem to be settled, even your slightly odd neighbour seems to have found Mr Right. In fact, from looking around it feels as if the only singleton about is you.
Ever felt like this? Everyone has at some point.
For some, being in this position creates tremendous amount pressure to find a partner quickly. You crave what you think everyone has: “The Perfect Partner.” However, it’s important to take into account that the relationships of your friends are probably entirely different to what you see. External appearances can be deceitful! Just because they have a partner it doesn’t necessarily mean they’ve got it all!
It’s not worth dating Mr or Ms. Wrong for dating’s sake and neither is it good to enter a relationship merely because someone has shown a large amount of interest in you. If you do this, you may find you’re constantly entering relationships below your standards. This will, in turn, increase your insecurity and cause you to think negatively about dating. Settling for Mr or Ms. Wrong isn’t a good move for this reason.
It’s not fair to ‘make do’ with someone just because you want a relationship. You will find yourself trying to mould them around what you want them to be. You should never try and change someone. If you feel yourself trying to do this then it’s fair to say – they’re not the right one for you.
Our advice to you would be, make sure you’re happy in yourself before going into a relationship. There are so many singletons out there, there’s absolutely no need to rush. Rather than rushing into anything and settling for mediocre, decide what you want from your next relationship. You don’t have to match your future partner with everything on your list but at least it’ll point you towards the right kind of person for you!
This weeks catch – Nicole
Meet this weeks great catch – Nicole.
Nicole is 37 and describes herself as “an easy going, fun, open minded, positive gal that prioritises friends and family above everything else.” Her career is important but “it is not the be all and end all” and she wants to find someone who feels the same.
Experiencing new things is important to Nicole and she thinks “it would be great to meet someone who can continue to expand my horizons.” Her likes includes; “the smell of cut grass, coffee, the sun, laughing, mint chocolate, Masterchef, politeness” and her dislikes are; ”marzipan, selfishness, spiders, board games and bad writing/spelling.” Another great reason to spell- check that profile!
Fancy sending Nicole a message, just click here if you’re a Plenty More Fish member. If not, sign yourself up for free on Plenty More Fish today!
10 Things NOT to Say on a First Date
If you’ve been away from the dating scene for some considerable time, you may have become a little rusty with some of the dating norms a.k.a “dating etiquette.” I think the biggest and best piece of advice I can offer is to be yourself and never ever pretend to be someone your not. This definitely applies to both off line and online dating.
Sometimes, it’s easy to say too much on a first date and TRUST me, I know all too much about verbal diarrhoea… it happens to the best of us 
Chatting a lot on a first date is by no means a bad thing – if anything, it’s good – but saying the wrong thing could mean the difference between the first and second date. Steer away from the following topics of conversation and you’ll be one step closer to date number two!
"Oops...I mentioned my ex"
1. Bad mouthing your ex
Refrain from talking about your ex.. any ex. It’s a huge turn off. Your date will want to know about you, not your ex. It’s not attractive, plus it can suggest that you’re not quite over them.
2. Dishing out blame
Not taking responsibility for your mistakes will cause alarm bells to ring straight away. A relationship is built on trust and if your date feels they can’t trust you, well, that’s the second date out of the window!
3. Living with parents
So you’re 30 and still living with your parents without good reason and show no sign of moving out. Dependence on your parents at this age is pretty unattractive to most. It’s not just about the living with your parents though. Relying on your mum for your cooking and cleaning is a huge, huge turn off. Independence is SO much more attractive!
4. Discussing financial problems
It’s neither the time nor the place to be discussing personal matters like this. It’s way too much information for a first date and can leave your date feeling awkward. Get to know your date first. They may be a bit freaked if you start discussing your credit card bills, not to mention – turned off.
5. Your wish to be married with kids ASAP
It doesn’t take a genius to work out that discussing your marriage and family plans on a first date isn’t the best idea. I don’t think I need to explain why..
6. “You’re too smart/ attractive/good for me”
Self confidence is incredibly attractive to the opposite sex. Your date is on a date with you because they like you. There’s absolutely nothing else to question.
7. “Can I take your picture?”
Don’t ask to take a photo on a first date. It comes across as needy, freaky and a little stalker-ish. . Some of you may wonder why I’m even mentioning this..? Well, it did actually happen to someone I know and all I can say is a second date definitely didn’t happen.
8. “Come back to mine?”
Unless you know for sure that your date feels the same – don’t ask. Your date could end up being offended.
9. “I love you”
Argh. These three little words should never be used on the first date for obvious reasons. It’s worrying for your date as you’ll come across as clingy/ psycho. Harsh but true!!!
10. You’re jobless with no intention of getting a job
Laziness is not attractive. Showing no intention of working is to most, extremely unattractive. No one wants to date a ‘bum’ do they?!
This weeks catch – Lee
It’s been a while since we’ve graced you with one of our favourite members but you’ll be glad to know we’re back with another fantastic singleton…
Lee is 36 and likes “socialising in the pub and playing sport.” He also tells us he has “a bit of a love for musicals” which he thinks may be a “dangerous confession” but we reckon this will only ever work in his favour. For once, us girls won’t have to drag our fella kicking and screaming to “Les Misérables!”
Lee’s “looking to live again.’ He would like “someone to laugh with” and someone to “share the adventure” he’s about to start. Admittedly, he watched ‘Up’ the other day but we think that there’s absolutely nothing wrong with a bit of inspiration!
Is Lee your type? Why not show your interest with a wink or a message? If you’re a member of Plenty More Fish just click here.
Fancy signing up to Plenty More Fish for free today? ‘Click’ here!
6 Tip to Make Dating in 2012 the Best Ever!
“London beats Paris in the 2012 Olympics bid.” It seems like only yesterday doesn’t it? In fact, the announcement was made 7 years ago, in 2005. Gobsmacked? So are we. We welcome 2012 with open arms however, the year that once seemed SO far away has suddenly caught up with us.
Oh how time flies!
Time passes so quickly and at Plenty More Fish, we feel that if you want something, you shouldn’t just sit back and wait for it to happen, you should go out and get it! This includes waiting for that special person to whisk you off your feet – you really need to put the effort in too. It will make your search for that special someone easier and much more successful!
To help you out we have racked our dating brains and come up with 6 great ways to help you make a fresh start and get the most out of dating in 2012.
1. Change your attitude
Ever had a bad relationship? You’re not alone. Most of us have a past relationship that didn’t work out the way we intended. Don’t let it hold you back or drag you down. Everyone’s different and chances are you won’t make the same mistake again. The best way to move forward and get on with your life is to see your negative relationship experience in a positive light and treat it as a learning curve. It will probably give you clearer insight into what you want and what you don’t want out of your next relationship.
2. Make yourself heard/seen
Get yourself out there! Your perfect partner is unlikely to know you even exist if you hibernate in your house. Make the effort to meet new people through singles events and dating sites like Plenty More Fish. If you decide to go down the online dating route, make sure your profile has all the important stuff in; a show stopping picture (or two), a great profile description and all relevant information to name a few.
3. Go on as many dates as possible
Get out there and get dating! Find out who you like and find out who you don’t like! Meeting new people will help with confidence building , especially if you haven’t had a relationship in a while. Finding the right person for you is often a numbers game and a process of elimination so we recommend throwing yourself right into it. Relax and have fun when dating and remember with each date, you’re one step closer to finding the right person for you!
4. Let go of your “type.”
It’s easy to focus too much on a certain ‘type’ and miss great potential matches right in front of you. We completely understand that there’s certain very important criteria such as location and age but are you being too picky? . Bin the list and try to be a little more open-minded. Does star-sign, eye colour and hair colour really matter? It’s definitely worth dating a wide range of singletons in order to figure out what you really want.
5. Don’t take things personally
It’s not you…it’s them! Seriously though, if something doesn’t quite work out the way you had hoped just remember that it’s not you, it’s them! If someone isn’t interested then it’s their loss. Not everyone will fall for the same person..I mean, how boring!! (Not to mention we’d all be fighting over the same people!) Don’t let it throw you off dating others. Pick yourself up, there will be someone awesome out there for you!
6. Don’t give up
This follows up from the last point. Keep a positive attitude and if the first couple of dates don’t work out then don’t get put off or start to panic! There are SO many singletons out there. On Plenty More Fish alone there are over 2 million! Just keep dating.. you get out what you put in.
I hope you find these tips helpful and from all of us at Plenty More Fish…..
