Matchmaking Isn't Everyone's Forte

I have an obsession with connecting people, whether it’s people with jobs, people with houses, or people with people. I get a sense of satisfaction that makes me want to keep making matches.

It first began when I worked as an IT recruiter. I loved the fulfillment of finding jobs that people loved, and finding people that employers valued.

Once I became a stay-at-home mom, I decided to join a local moms’ club. My passion for networking developed into matching moms with moms, kids with kids and families with families.

So when a friend began telling me about her hopes with an online dating site, I thought to myself, “Hmm, maybe I could match her with someone I know!”

And so my new venture at matchmaking began.

I decided to introduce her to my cousin. They’re around the same age, living the same love-searching life. It just seemed to click.

“I’ve watched enough episodes of 'Millionaire Matchmaker' to know how to do this,” I told myself.

The double date was set for the following weekend. Dinner at the local Thai restaurant followed by an ice cream cone seemed like a perfect night out. Not to mention the fact that it meant I was going on a date too with my husband! It had been a while.

In my mind, these two could be a perfect match. They were both attractive, sick of the bar scene, enjoyed sunset walks on the beach – there was no doubt they were made for each other.

The double date came and went -- and not soon enough.

Suffice it to say, things didn’t turn out quite as planned. One liked to share food off the plate, the other not so much. One liked to text a lot, the other did not. One had a passion for dogs, the other did not. There's more, but I'm sure you catch my drift.

It never occurred to me that this setup could be a recipe for disaster. My cousin might be upset that I set him up with someone who loved dogs, while my friend might never return my calls again because I set her up with someone who doesn’t love dogs.

Next time I try to set someone up, I’ll make sure to ask, “How do you feel about dogs?”

Or maybe I should just stick with what I’m doing, and resign to the fact that I’m not the “Millionaire Matchmaker” I thought I was.