i think on-line dating profile surfing tends to utilize the MTV/alice in wonderland attention span: look for the pictures, skim the words, do it in 5 seconds or less.
good luck! if nothing else, it will yield some interesting blogging material  :)
Disa Fedorowicz

...because I'm not the biggest fan of online dating. But I have plenty of experience with it so here goes. You're not wrong about the work aspect - it can be a bit like having a second job. So for the love of God, don't sign up with all the services you listed at once, you will burn yourself out! Which one you should use depends on your personality. I hated eHarmony with a purple passion particularly because I hated feeling like I was being herded through "stages" like some mindless mooing herd animal; but a lot of other folks absolutely love it. I've tried Match a few times, met some (now) exes and a good friend out of it - it seemed the best match (so to speak) for me. If you can take advantage of the free trial periods these things sometimes offer, that would give you the best chance to find which one you like the best. But I will tell you that if you stay on any dating site long enough you'll start seeing the same guys again, and again, and again.

Be prepared to be asked the weirdest things. Be prepared not to take it personally. Be prepared to have interesting conversations with guys who suddenly disappear without any warning or explanation. Try not to take THAT personally. Be prepared to meet complete charmers who sweep you off your feet...and turn out to be total dogs. Occasionally go out with guys whose online picture does nothing for you...most of the guys I've dated put the crappiest pictures of themselves online, but when I met them in person it was a totally different story.

And most of all, cheesy as it sounds, trust your instincts. And do try to have at least a little fun too...dating is supposed to be fun, or so I hear. Good luck.

The Caffeinated Librarian [Blogger]

... because I just don't know if I could do it. I've met men online through various avenues (myspace, etc.) but, like you, I haven't done the paid for site. Go for it, I say. If you don't take some risks in life you are bound to a pretty boring existence.

~Beth

Living a Quotable Life

I definitely second Caffeinated Librarian's warnings about not taking anything personally. I've been on and off of Match for about seven years (oh my god! did I really just write that?!?), as well as a free profile on Salon.com, and I also tried eHarmony at one time. I think eHarmony, and others that make you go through specific steps, can be good for those new to the online dating world because it sort of leads you through getting to know people. On the other hand, I found pretty quickly that it's better for me to meet people in person sooner rather than later so I went back to Match. I've also had debates with people about sites you pay for versus those that are free - a lot of my friends believe that having a fee, even if it's a small one, is an easy way to separate out the people who are truly interested in a 'real' relationship but I'm not entirely convinced it matters. I put a profile on Salon.com because I thought the readers there would be more educated and/or liberal - it turns out that their personals site is linked to several other media outlets (including the Onion :-)) but I still feel like I tend to meet a somewhat more serious type of guy there, while Match is more eclectic. With most services (at least I know this is true with Match and Salon), you can lurk and check out a bunch of profiles before putting down any money - I think that back when I first joined Match, it wasn't until after I had seen that there were several guys I thought might be worth meeting.

One suggestion about managing your time: if I'm corresponding with a few different guys, I will often 'hide' my profile so I stop getting new messages. I don't like to be emailing more than maybe three guys at once - I start worrying that I won't be able to keep them straight!

Whichever site you decide to use, the key really is keeping it all in perspective and not taking anything personally. Good luck and have fun - I'll look forward to reading about your adventures!

Jenn

p.s. I was bummed that I couldn't make it to the Blogher Conference because I really wanted to meet you but hopefully I'll be able to go next year...

http://quirkyeconomist.blogspot.com

I met my honey through online dating. Best thing I've ever done.

 Keep it in perspective - a lot of it is window shopping and try-before-you-buy. P:)

Because I haven't tried it, but wanted to wish you good luck. 

Just like smartchica47, I expect this will lead to many fascinating future blog posts. :)

Vered DeLeeuw

http://momgrind.com/

I think online dating is a great way to go, and I can't wait to read about it. ;)

So awesome hanging out with you this weekend!!! :)

Liz Rizzo

I blog at Everyday Goddess.

Allison Allen

Bloomer-in-Chief, WomenBloom

http://www.womenbloom.com/blog/

Ditto to almost everything above.  I"ve been on Match off and on for a few years.  It is NOT a natural, organic process.  I'm not crazy about it because it does set up a speed shopping kind of mentality...there is always someone else out there.  And it is so weird that you'll start this interesting 'normal' exchange with someone who seems interesting only to have them drop off the map suddenly and without warning.

I turned 50 since I had last been on, and there has been a noticeable drop in the number of replies. Those guys don't have a clue what they are missing :)  But, I've also had a couple of guys who admit to lying about their age on their profile.  They've fessed up but still...not a good way to start things out.  I've been tempted to do that as an experiment but I'm too painfully honest.

My view:  it's not a great way to do this, but it's easier to meet people this way than in real life it seems to me.

I'm going into this situation looking to have fun and not take things too seriously. You guys know me -- I'd rather stay single for the rest of my life than be with someone who makes me unhappy. I'm just looking to meet some new people and try something I haven't done before. I predict that the experience certainly WILL make for some good future blog posts!

Personal blog: Keep Up With Me
BlogHer blog: Singles/Fitness

What I found difficult when I was on Match.com - off and on a few times over the last few years - is that everything is open to interpretation.  When I checked off "intelligent" in the what-turns-you-on section, what I got were guys who thought they were intelligent but were boring to me, or who thought it would impress me that they went to Harvard.  Which doesn't impress me that much, and is not what I mean by "intelligent."  So I never had much luck with the on-line dating thing, but it is a good way to get out of the house and practice being with men. 

--Liz

I blog about creating a life worth living at:  www.inventingmylife.blogspot.com

On-line dating is another tool to use in trying to find, in that vast universe out there, someone like-minded.

My friends who've had relationship luck on-line haven't found it in the match.com or other similar sites.  They've found it in affinity groups.  One friend who is really into fitness, found groups on-line that were doing bike trips and other things she liked and that's how she met someone.  Another friend found someone via a book club.

On-line sites seem to be good at getting dates and passing the time, much like the  pesonal ads of old.

blog.candelariasilva.com

Good and plenty!

I say go for it! If it works, you win, and if it doesn't, you still win . . . lots of great writing material AND a lot of insight into what will work in the future and what won't. I for one will be glued to your blog, so please share all the fun with us, your very curious and excited readers lol :0) Good luck!!

Kathy

Mama Marathoner

OK, I'm going to go out on a limb here and strongly advise you to NOT put too much emphasis or hope into online dating.   I've been on and off the popular dating boards for a few years now and my experience has been less than favorable.   Too many men are just looking to hook up; they aren't honest; their picture is 20 years old or they fall off the face of the Earth.   So, you may find yourself 'chasing' them by asking supposedly innocent questions like, "Hey!  Where'd you go?"   Girlfriend, please reconsider and stay with the traditional way of meeting new people. 

My two cents.   Best of luck.

Sista 

For many of us craigslist is the portal to online dating. Let's see: it's free, local, doesn't require filling in mandatory blanks, and it hides one's email address from the unwashed masses.

Don't believe me? Read this and tell me where it's wrong.

And before you get all in a huff, my sweetheart and I have been together for 4+ years and we owe it all to CL. Casual encounters no less. Happy end to the story: we're living together and happy at that! We've both written Craig Neumark thank you notes!

A friend of mine who's now married met her man on Craigslist. She had a lot of good things to say about it!

Personal blog: Keep Up With Me
BlogHer blog: Singles/Fitness

... and don't be afraid to leave a date mid-way, though I do think it takes up to 3 dates to see if a man really works for you. We're all too shy and projecting too much of our fear/expectations on dates 1 & 2. :D 

I'm with @sistahood but I hope for your sake, you're one of the happy exceptions to the kiss a few dozen frogs before you find a prince rule :)

chhavi sachdev
radio::web::print
www.chhavisachdev.com

I heard a commercial for eHarmony today that reminded me of something you might find useful. There are a few sites that make you answer a ton of questions and they put together a fairly extensive profile of you and your 'match' (eHarmony is probably the best-known but Chemistry.com does this too). When I did eHarmony, I actually thought that the description of me and of the guy I was looking for were both really dead on. Not surprisingly, I thought many of the guys eHarmony's system suggested for me were worth talking to. But I had at least one friend who said that she didn't think her profile really sounded like her (my two cents: I thought it was pretty accurate but she didn't want to admit it), and she also didn't think she was getting matched with the 'right' guys. So if you try out one of those types of sites and you don't think the profile the system comes up with is really a good reflection of who you are, I'd suggest not putting down any money because it may not be worth it. Good luck!

Jenn

http://quirkyeconomist.blogspot.com

I met all sorts of people using on-line dating. Like other posters I never paid for a full membership. I took advantage of freebies. My personal rule of thumb- whenever you do meet someone in person make it a coffee/tea date. That way if you are totally disinterested after meeting you can make a quick getaway. Also, have a friend call 30 minutes into the date to check on you -they can be your escape route.

Blog: Cutie Booty Cakes

Sharmare

www.lifebytesbook.com

lifebytesrealstories.wordpress.com

 I've been reading through all the comments and they've all rung true for me and my friends at one time or another. A few things to keep in mind: FIRST your sense of humor, you need it. When you stop being able to laugh at the experience it's time to take a break. Secondly, it does work! I found a 2 1/2 year relationship online, my niece met someone online and my sisters niece is planning to marry the man she met online. I've heard from so many women and men about their online dating experiences that I can tell you one thing for sure: everyone's experience is personal and different and it's NEVER dull.