CapriUni: I surely can understand not wanting to be pigeonholed, and I was unaware of the "devotee" problem (thanks for the heads-up about that!). Just because the disabled-singles dating service worked for one person I know certainly doesn't mean it's right for everyone. Sorry!

Personally, I'm uncomfortable with dating services and personal ads, for the reasons mentioned above. I've flitted in and out of local "themed" singles groups, where at least you can chat with people face-to-face in a casual setting without the sense of being "on a mission". There's a local group that meets once a month for a walk through a state park and also arranges get-togethers such as camping trips, so that one's been enjoyable as a means of getting out and doing things as well as a means of meeting people.

As a person who has a couple of chronic diseases, my dilemma is a bit different from Capri's: I appear to be able-bodied but I'm not! When I have a lupus "flare-up" and the arthritic symptoms kick in and I start hobbling as if I'm twice as old as I am, it's a definite turn-off to potential partners (not surprisingly!). I think it sometimes makes them feel betrayed somehow, too, even though I'm up-front with everyone about my medical problems. But I'm starting to take the attitude that if the guy isn't interested enough in me to do a little reading about my diseases (which is easy enough to do on www.webmd and similar sites), then I know it's not going anywhere.

Sharon