Date 151

"Bought on stolen wine."

This was a successful date in terms of us both really getting on but sadly there was no romance between us, however, we're still in touch as friends.

Having the same taste in music was a rare treat for me so it was good to talk about our favourite bands and she's definitely got excellent potential to be a gig buddy (writing this has made me wonder why I didn't invite her to one I went to on my own to the other night...so at least this has jogged my mind if nothing else!). She's also allergic to beer and wine, which is a very unfortunate side-effect from a bout of malaria years earlier, thus making her tastes in alcohol quite specific. I think that I may be allergic to red wine too but I only seem to get a reaction after two bottles.

Date 132

"Too freely on your lips."

This was the first and hopefully the last time that I get absolutely shit-faced on a first date. You'd think I'd know by now. I really can't comprehend what came over me or what happened.

She asked me out for a drink with her first email and apparently we'd exchanged a good few messages a couple of years back and then she'd disappeared; she was actually a bit put out that I couldn't remember this!

When we first met, I thought I'd only stay for a couple as my first impressions told me that there wasn't really a connection. However, we kept ordering large glasses of red wine and we were there until closing time. By this point we were both pretty drunk but inexplicably we found another pub which was open late. I don't remember what we talked about but I do recall towards the end of the night ordering straight cokes as I wasn't feeling too clever.

Upon leaving the pub and walking up a long, steep street with her, I just can't recall what happened in between. However, my last memory before I got into a taxi at the top of the street was us snogging! I don't know how the night led to this, I don't know who instigated it and I don't know how long it lasted. My memory was hazy at best.

I woke up the next morning with a moderately bad hangover and a feeling that I wasn't fussed about seeing her again. I didn't know why but I had a couple of flashbacks to some things she'd said towards the end of the evening that I found a bit odd, but I couldn't remember what exactly. I texted her in the afternoon to see how she was coping and she replied to my first text but not to my follow up. I didn't pursue her any further, nor did I hear from her again.

I was also quite regretful about getting so drunk, but more because there were parts of the night that I couldn't remember as opposed to anything embarrassing happening. Never again...

Date 93

"Did I really walk all this way."

I was still on a mission to avoid using pay-sites and so my next date came courtesy of OKCupid; I was certainly getting my money's worth.

We met along Brighton sea front and went for a wander, as it was a glorious mid-Summer evening, before we found a nice pub near Hove. We had a few drinks and she was quite good company but there just wasn't any spark or mutual attraction.

She was a few years older than me and a bit of a posh party girl and former chalet girl, so it was clear that we didn't mix in the same circles as I'm a rough Geordie lad. I liked her but we just didn't have anything in common.

When we left the pub she said bye then buggered off to catch her bus and I didn't have a clue where I was so I ended up roaming the streets for quite a while until I used the moonlight and direction of the sea to eventually locate my bus stop about 30 minutes walk away.

Date 32

"I don't owe you anything."

The first date with this Manchester City supporting woman technically ended up with her not turning up. She cancelled our first couple of dates due to various reasons then we eventually agreed to meet at a coffee bar locally on a Saturday morning as she was going to see Metallica in the evening. I'd heard nothing the night before, but bizarrely my internet connection went at around midnight. Normally before I go on a date I check my e-mails in case they cancel and she of course had previous. However, because my wifi still wasn't working the next morning I was unable to do so. I had given her my mobile number though (she hadn't given me hers), so I assumed she'd contact me by phone or text.

Anyway, I got to said date location bang on time. There was still no sign of her half an hour later. When it had got to her being an hour late I knew something was up. I then rang up a friend and got them to log onto my Soulmates profile and there was a message from her sent the previous night at about 1am cancelling on me. I was pretty livid, but by the same token if my internet hadn't gone then I would have got the message, however, to cancel at such short notice was ridiculous and the fact that she didn't contact me on my mobile was just thoughtless.

I decided to give her another chance though, and we met up for a drink at a local pub eventually. It was a very pleasant evening and she was good company, and as I saw her onto the bus she shouted out that she'd e-mail me.

I hadn't heard from her for a few days so mailed her instead and she agreed to a second date. She then cancelled on me another 2 or 3 times (as had become the norm) but we met up for lunch one Saturday afternoon and it was pretty good fun. As I waited with her at the bus stop I asked her about the possibility of a third date and she said 'yes' and told me to ring her in the week. I did so and it went straight to voice-mail so I texted her instead. She took a week to reply and said she was busy.

I then waited another week to get in contact and she replied with 'actually, I've decided I'm not ready to be dating, so can we be friends?' I never responded.

Date 22

"Oh, I don't want to go out tonight."

This is becoming a bit of a recurring theme on my part, but my only recollection about this next one was that she had blonde hair and liked Radiohead. I suppose it was the 22nd girl I had met, so I can be excused for a bit of memory loss.

Again, we got on quite well and to be honest as I hadn't had much luck in the past, I was quite surprised when she wanted to go on a second date.

The second date proceeded in much the same vein as the first and we got on pretty well again and we agreed to a third date at the cinema. This never materialised however, as she cancelled on me at the last minute on two or three occasions and then she disappeared. I wasn't too bothered, if truth be told, but I would rather she hadn't messed me around towards the end. Although the fact that I can't remember much about her, despite going on more than one date probably speaks volumes.