Misty River Blog - By Linda Miller
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A True Love Story - Theresa and Glen
I had the pleasure of meeting Theresa nearly two decades ago when she became a member of our service. I still remember our first encounter vividly, as she brought me a thoughtful gift of Mohair socks. Theresa had built a successful business around crafting and selling these delightful socks. She owned a farm located south of the city, where she raised Mohair goats and personally sheared their wool.
A True Love Story - Lianne and Jim
Lianne and Jim hold a special place among my favorite couples. Lianne had been a client of ours years ago and had found a happy match. However, after a twenty-year relationship, it came to an end, and Lianne found herself back in the market for a life partner. Having experienced success with matchmaking in the past, she turned to Misty River Introductions for assistance in finding her perfect match.
A True Love Story - Sophia and Bill
Sophia and Bill are a couple I recently connected. What’s intriguing about Sophia is that she had joined Misty River Introductions around three years ago, with specific criteria in mind. She was looking for matches who were over 6 feet tall, university-educated (preferably with an advanced degree), and good-looking. Despite having several individuals who met these criteria, she didn’t find anyone she clicked with at the time.
Advice for Senior Couples Preparing to Get Married and Build a Life Together
Getting married later in life can come with unique challenges that require special consideration. If you’re a senior that’s about to get married and build a life with your partner, we reveal a few salient points you’ll want to work through first.
Questions for dating post COVID
One of the most frequent questions we have been asked in the last few weeks the province has begun to reopen is “how do I date safely and what kind of information do you have from clients on their vaccine status?”
I always say that it’s safe to connect with new people if you follow the rules.
Love is in the eye of the Beholder
I’ll never forget one of the most enlightening moment I had as a matchmaker.
I was meeting a gentleman by the name of Graham from Kingston. We agreed to meet at a restaurant in Portland so were both were coming about half-way. When we arrived, the restaurant was closed. Although I don’t normally do this, I had him come and sit in my car so we could do the interview. As I remember it, the weather was terrible, so sitting outside was not an option.
A Different Attitude when Dating as a Senior
One of my favorite parts of being a matchmaker is working with seniors. I love the thrill of having a client who thinks their chance of experiencing the excitement of new romance has passed them by.
I had two senior couples call in this morning to tell me they wanted to put their accounts on hold because they had just started new relationships.
A day in the Life of a Matchmaker
When at parties and social gatherings I tend to have a lot of people interested in what I do as a matchmaker.
Having worked as one for the last 26 years I wear a lot of hats.
My first order of business is to screen the people that come to me to make sure they have a reasonable chance of having a good outcome. We have about a 75% success rate but that drops if you take everybody as a client.
Dating Rules and When to Break Them
Matchmakers usually have a set of rules we would like you to follow. These are for your benefit. Meet in a public place, arrange your own transportation, and don’t have people over until you get to know them. These rules are especially important for you to follow because they are for your safety.
Now I’m going to tell you about someone who broke all the rules and found love.
Has COVID Changed Dating for the Better?
As a matchmaker for the past 26 years, I’m very aware of current trends in the dating scene.
Like many business owners, I was worried about how the COVID lockdowns would affect my business. What I observed over the last year was not only interesting but also a welcoming phenomenon.
As people moved away from meeting in person immediately after receiving contact information for their matches, a kinder, gentler courtship ensued. Everyone had to work a little harder, spend a little more time getting to know each other and make more of an effort to court, charm and disarm.
I want to change the type of people I’m attracted to but don’t know where to start
As a professional matchmaker, I am often asked “How do I change the type of person I’m attracted to?”
I always start by telling people to look back at their life. What is your family of origin like? Were you raised by an emotionally distant father? Does that make you choose men you constantly have to work at to get attention from?
How to spot trouble in the early stages of dating
I recently had a lovely women join Misty River Introductions. As a professional matchmaker I always use caution when bringing up the sometimes-sensitive subject of past relationships. I feel it can really help me get a feel for the type of person someone is attracted to and the pitfalls of past choices that I might do well to avoid.
Ruth admitted that her past relationship was not good, and in hindsight she should have noticed the red flags. She said initially he was amazing, charming, good-looking and attentive.
Dating during COVID
One of the most common questions I’ve been getting these days is, “Is it worth dating right now with everybody self-isolating and social distancing?”
Surprisingly, we are busier than ever! With everything going on, we’ve still managed to complete many happy matches.
I think it’s important to develop an emotional connection with your match when you first meet them. Obviously, there has to be chemistry, good flow of conversation and some interest on both sides. Right now, I am advising people to spend more time talking on the phone and getting to know each other.
COVID Love
During the first wave of COVID, I heard many innovative dating stories that lead to loving relationships.
One of my favourites involved Veronica who met David at a Tim Horton’s parking lot. They happened to be a couple in their late 70’s and were understandably concerned about keeping safe during this unusual time.
Veronica had said to me that even though she was cancer survivor she was keenly aware that she didn’t want to waste precious years alone. She had been happily married before losing her husband 3 years earlier and currently lived in an amazing condo in downtown Toronto.
David was an avid traveller and had a lovely waterfront home in the Burlington area.
Dating during COVID
One of the most often asked questions these days when someone new calls us at Misty River Introductions is “how are you handling dating during COVID?”
The irony is that dating services are up by some estimates 300%!
At Misty River instead of our usual face-to-face consultations we are now conducting interviews over the phone, Skype, Zoom or FaceTime. Due to the high volume of people joining, it would be irresponsible of me to go from person to person.
Dating with Children
Being in a new relationship is so exciting. It makes your heartbeat faster, the sky seems bluer and the stars shine brighter.
But, dating with children can be a challenge. There’s the coordinating of babysitters, the confusion of when it’s appropriate to introduce a new love interest and the pressure of them making a good impression.
What do we think about Instant Chemistry?
Recently I had a couple that I had matched get together and claim to have instant chemistry.
They met at a dog park and he said the instant she got out of the car he was smitten.
They spent the afternoon together with their dogs and then went on to a restaurant and talked for hours.
For them this worked.
What kind of relationships are our clients looking for?
When coming to Misty River Introductions, each new client is usually looking for something different to satisfy their relationship needs.
Some people want marriage no matter what age and stage they are at. Many of the people in their 70’s and 80’s are just looking for companionship without living together. So, they essentially want someone to travel with, have dinners out with and maybe attend theatre or sporting events with.
How is your work/life balance?
These days there is such an emphasis on finding a balance between work and home life. Personally, I think the key to finding that balance is approaching them the same way. Giving them the same weight and respect. WORK IS SERIOUS and YOU WORK AT IT. HOME LIFE/RELATIONSHIPS just sort of happen.
"Are you really ready for a relationship?"
I met with a woman the other day who, at the end of our meeting, she was still unsure about joining the service. This is someone who had researched us, shopped around, visited our website and contacted the office on more than one occasion before ultimately arranging an interview with me. The interest was clearly there. When I asked her the reason for her reluctance, it wasn’t the cost, or the commitment or anything to do with “really being ready for a relationship” that was holding her back. Instead she said, “I just don’t believe “He’s” out there”.