New Online Dating Sites Take the Pressure

By Nadia Schultz Few things can compare to cocktails by the beach with a good trashy novel. Before boarding a plane to Puerto Rico last week, I picked up a copy of Tucker Maxx's book "I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell."

This came to me as a recommendation from my brother and I figured that the perspective of a single male would be a refreshing change amidst the litany of chick lit novels that get sent my way.

Although this raw and humorous expose of how a single guy uses, abuses and insolently misuses women from Florida to Las Vegas kept me chuckling in between sips of Rum Runners, in the end it confirmed simply that men can be dogs, especially when they are running in groups. The book brought disturbing flashbacks to my early twenties, when we would go out in groups of three or four girls hoping to hit upon an equally portioned cluster of guys. Those nights never ended well, someone or several from the girl or guy team always went home feeling dejected.

But now one company, TeamDating.com, is trying to take online dating to a dynamic new level. The concept: singles register and date in groups rather than solo, which can be compared to user-generated speed dating or reality driven social networking. While it may not be quite the romantic soiree you are looking for, teamdating.com expects to alleviate the pressures, stress and awkwardness of the one-on-one encounter.

"A bad blind date can cause you to turn in early on a Saturday evening," says SingleEdition.com reader Tiffany," but by dating in teams if there is no romantic connection - you are still in the company of friends so it's not a total waste.

Though Tiffany is a newly divorced single in her 30's, not everyone within the growing subset of singles, especially others in their 30's, 40's and 50's, might embrace communal dating. Given that 60% of all adult singles are still reluctant to try online dating because of privacy, stigma, and safety concerns, this claim may in fact be accurate.

Perhaps the more sensitive approach to online dating that was just unleashed by Sparkbliss.com will appeal better to the broader pool of non-online daters. Here, romantic connections are based on introductions, recommendations and references made from trusted friends and family members.

According to sources, Sparkbliss profiles and photos are confidential within each member's social network, as well as the identities of persons who receive introductions.

In the world of dating, there are no holds barred. And just as the saying goes "ones man's rubbish is another mans feast," when it comes to finding love there is no right or wrong -- just what works for you. So long as you don't hit upon Tucker Maxx and his infamous clan of jesters.

Tucker Max

TeamDating.com

SparkBliss.com