I think this is more of a facebook lite than a real dating site. I live in an area where women outnumber men by about 7 to 1. Expat women complain that Anglo men prefer Latino women. I have heard more than one Anglo woman say, "Every man I meet is married, gay, or leaving next Tuesday." That said, I have had 2 matches but no contact from Latino ladies.

I have to be doing something wrong.

I enjoy the give and take in the forums, but 99.9% are from far far away. About where Shrek and Fiona went.

Well don't know what to tell you. If you are not meeting the kind of women you prefer you probably are one looking where they are in short supply or two you are going about it the wrong way.

I get having a preference but I have a hard time believing you can select a race and say that is the criteria of what will and will not make you happy. For one thing I know hundreds of Latino women and they defy being pigeon holed into any set of criteria. Some absolutely wonderful some the very furthest thing from that. I don't profess to speak for anyone but myself but if you liked me solely on the basis that you perceived me to be whatever you define a Latino woman as I think I would be deeply offended. I want someone to be attracted to me as a whole person. Never my race and really never just based on my appearance.

I don't get your animosity towards "Expats" but it is clear it exists and that is not going to be in your favor regardless of the odds.

Is Mingle a date site? Yes you have the option to select people from your immediate area if you so choose. Or the greater distance. Is the likely hood that a long distance relationship will never get past a brief affair? Yes. But I know for a fact that it can and has happened. Can you meet and find compatible people locally? My experience is yes. Are they marriage material? Not in my case to date but I have not actively pursued dating the people on this site in favor of another site but would not exclude some of the men I have seen on my match site if they expressed interest.

But Mingle is also a great community of people with mutual interests and back ground factors that makes for fellowship and personal development if you so chose to do that also.

Wait a minute? You live in an area that women outnumber the men 7 to 1 and you're on a dating site??? Man, if I lived there i'd be on the rampage and all my wages would be going on Child Support!! I'm not joking! Of course this is a dating site. What did you think it was? Ninja Turtle flower arranging?

I've known lots of people who found dates on here....you might have to be willing to date someone outside of your area and comfort zone.

I can feel some of what the OP stated. It's odd to see so many regulars with post counts in the thousands on a dating site. The other stuff he mentioned i didn't quite get.

Well, like Krupa used to say: dating is supposed to be fun! And we are mostly having fun here so we got one part sussed.
Apart from that, the dating site is the section where you match, search etc. I kind of see the forums separate. More like a singles-get-together.
And if most are too far away for you, find another dating-site, a national/regional one or a 'specialized' site based on height, age or whatever.

Exactly!

I know right! that's sorta my conclusion as well! and I say that because you get to a point and have mutual matches....but then that's it..it's oh I wanna meet you, and oh I wanaa meet you too... then u don't hear anything from that person again.. im like ok??...soo u just wanted me to do what? put u on my friends list, or meet me list (or whatever its called).

its almost like whats the point, because nobody seems to be taking DATING seriously..thats supposed to be the point of the site correct?
but it doesn't feel like that. just feels like a place to join in on community conversations..which is what facebook is..

Some people use it as a social site, which is why we have the options of looking for friends, activity partner and intimate encounter

Mutual Match is stupid.

It helps if you meet people in the forums first, that way you can tell who really wants to date, who's a liar, a player, a scammer, etc.

Facebook is mainly for my real life friends and family, so I don't get the connection between this place and that place, but to each his/her own.

I think the mistake most new people make is, they join mingle. Stick around from 2 days to a week. During this time they're frantically emailing random people, usually people they think are hot from their photos, clicking "yes" to Mutual Match every time they get a new one, and eventually getting frustrated and/or angry when they don't magically find "the one." All of this in 2 to 7 days..

Even real life doesn't work like that; who in the world has gone out and within a week found the "love of their life?" You have to take time to get to know people. There's no way in hell I'm going to get an email from some random guy, agree to meet him for coffee or whatever after talking for less than a week, and before I know it, we're engaged. That sounds like a cheap romance novel.

Join in the forums. What is wrong with making friends first? More relationships would work out if people took their time instead of being in such a mad, damn rush.

And there's still something called The Real World....you should never depend on just one way of doing anything...

I think a percentage of people take dating serious but like people who have been unemployed so long they just run out of money and desire to do it after so long. The shear cost of dating costing more than many folks can afford is hurting the process too.

The illusion that folks can be Super picky is probably contributing to more and more people giving up too. Those willing to be more flexible can and do date.

I am not sure joining the forums is going to hugely influence weather you get ask out on a date or not. All but maybe a couple of people I have dated from Mingle ever said anything I put in forums hardly registered. Most said they saw me on line in peak times they would look; usually before they left for work, just before they left work, or at lunch. Seeing my profile on the lists so updating photos and profiles does help. Some said that I viewed them encouraged them to attempt contact. Or a couple of times I sent a holiday or birthday greeting. Rarely that I nudged them. The majority of my dates have been because I responded to a simple Hi with a brief upbeat note. Not a lot of questions; interrogations tend to scare people off.

My post count is high...what does it mean

LOL be interesting to see how many posts you have in a few years. Some of us have been around Mingle for over a decade because it is more entertaining than TV or other past times. Some, heck many, of us are able to multi-task and do other things while posting. Some have already found their "love interest" and stuck around for the laughs at some of the "stuff" people post. If you are past hunt and peck it is easy to knock off a lot of posts in a short time.

Mine isnt as high as others... but had I not ever started posting in here I wouldnt have some of the friends I have.. and are friends outside here. I'd have given up the first week snd not still be coming around like I do 4 years later.

I'm laughing loud,hahahaha.I totally agree with you.I've long forgotten about finding anybody or whatever in mingle2.I just go to the forum and chat.Most women here are either not serious about relationship or are extremely selective & race conscious.Anyway,i hv good friends here

Well there are a lot of Latino ladies where I live, but that's in Texas....maybe you have a point about this not being a dating site...maybe it's a free psychologist's office.

Not here to judge what you are. just said i thought it was odd for a "dating" site.

an honest reply about the high counts some of you have.
When a new member joins and they see such high numbers on counts and people stating that they have been on here for years comes across that not much settleing down is going on or match making. Also going out on loads of dates and still not finding the right person doesnt give nem members much hope.

This is only a first impression as a new member, i appreciate you like to mingle on the forums and chat and you have made great friends for life, however some and they do exist, come on a dating site as a last resort due to being lonely and could do with some actual company through maybe some bad times.
Virtual chat is ok to a degree but finding a friend near by who you can call or meet up (after getting to know them first obviously) can help wonders.
I know a lot of you will say "sort yourself out first" but i read earlier a single mum with 2 kids and she is now 16 weeks pregnant and she is on here looking for something. I really felt for her and contacted her, but as you can see not EVERYONE is over confident in themselves. That too can be unattractive to some.

I am just saying.... so please dont bite my head off as it puts people off from expressing an opinion in the forums.

I could be wrong, but to me it seems most of the people who have found a partner on here, met in the forums, and had mutually high post counts.