🚀 go-pugleaf

I started this string inquiring about dating services - thought I'd update
everyone on what happened.

I went to the consultation on a Sunday, so an assistant conducted it, not the
owner of the business.  I wasn't impressed with the assistant - she seemed too
timid to really find out about me or what I was looking for.  She didn't
really ask anything that wasn't on the sheet in front of her, which wasn't as
detailed as the sheet I had been sent earlier to fill out and bring with me.

After asking some fairly generic questions (what age range am I interested
in, how do my friends describe me, etc.) she brought out a book of photos and
asked me to pick out those whom I'd be interested in contacting.  Each photo
was supposed to have career, hometown, and age on it, but many didn't have any
or all of the information.  Most of the photos seemed to be of women in their
mid-30's (I'm 27, so I'd prefer 20's or low 30's), but I picked six or eight
who appealed to me.  Nancy explained that not all the clients had photos, and
Marsha (the owner) would choose other compatible women from her files based on
the information I had given Nancy.  There was a fairly wide variety of women
to choose from, ranging from (in my opinion, obviously) quite attractive to
"doesn't do much for me".  In general I'd say the selection was better than
I've seen at the average Jewish single's event.

She said that if I decided to join they would put my photo in the male book
and those who join would have the opportunity to select me.  The consultation
was $45, joining would be an extra $505.  There was no pressure to join, she
ended up giving me the form and asking me to send it in if I decided I'd like
to join.  I asked her how many people sign up each week (to have an idea of
how many women would view my photo), she didn't have any idea.  I requested
that Marsha call me so I could ask some additional questions.

Marsha did call later that week, she told me that January is a busy month, but
typically maybe five people a week would join.  I was a bit concerned with the
methodology, since (a) I didn't feel Nancy learned enough about me to impart
the information to Marsha to make some matches, and (b) I wouldn't have the
opportunity to ever look in the book again to make new selections.  Marsha
told me that after six months I could have a follow-up consultation and once
again look in the book for any new members who might have joined or
reactivated their memberships.  She gave me a reference, but it was someone
who married a guy she met through this service, so I don't think she'll be too
unbiased.  Someone here on the net did contact me, however, who is a member,
and told me that she felt that the only time she was set up with compatible
people was when she called Marsha and gave direct feedback about what was
wrong with the people she had been previously paired with.  She also felt that
she was often paired up due largely to living in the same area (even though
her form had said she didn't mind dating around the Bay).

So, the result is that I haven't joined pending hearing (or not) from some
personals in the Jewish Bulletin I responded to.  If I have no results I'll
either take out an ad ($65 should get me a fairly lengthy ad, though men
typically get _way_ fewer responses than women, at least those of us under 30)
or go ahead and join for $505.

I'd be interested to hear about results in placing personals in various
publications - Metro, Jewish Bulletin, Bay Area Guardian, Eye (Mercury News),
Potpourri (the free advertising rag that gets mailed), etc.  How many
responses did you get, what was the general quality level of the responses,
etc.

Bill



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