Lilly Peel
Win tickets to every event at Wembley Stadium in 2009
I am sceptical about the ability of a computer to spot my Mr Darcy. I am also an online dating virgin.
However, being on the wrong side of 30 and single, a little matchmaking help, even from an algorithm, would not go amiss.
I embark on the 258-question psychometric test (thankful it's been whittled down from the original one of more than 400).
On a scale of one to six I have to rate, among a slew of statements, the degree to which:
my house is cleaner when I have people coming over;
I sometimes waste time when I should be working (yes, if I count filling in online psychometric tests);
I do not give as much to charity as I can afford (shamefully true);
I am even-tempered at all times (not on deadline or when cleaning my house).
I struggle to find relevant “living skills” from a list of 35 that includes long-term personal planning, co-ordinating household schedules, managing my finances, creating a peaceful and beautiful home and maintaining an organised life.
Disappointingly, after almost two hours, my final profile reads a bit like a horoscope: broad enough to apply to anyone. Key points include:
sometimes curious, sometimes content;
sometimes outgoing, sometimes reserved;
sometimes steady, sometimes responsive.
Insightful? No. There is a lot more detail but none of it is really me. To my surprise (because I have not signed up for the paid service), eHarmony has already found me some matches. Seven to be precise. I have seven possible soulmates! I am quite excited. Could this be it? Could 15 years of dating finally be coming to an end? If so, thank you algorithm!
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