THE FINAL SCORE

AFTER MORE THAN three months of dating with SingleAndActive.com, I give up on meeting Mr. Goodthrill. So was it a waste? No. All the preening, prep work, flirting, and escapades with near strangers was like dating exercise, and it got me totally on my game. The experience also taught me some useful lessons.

Kayaking on the Hudson with Veggie showed me that a guy's strokes are critical, on and off the water. Climbing with Mr. Wiz taught me that people who tie you up can also bring you down. Boarding with the townie taught me that I like men who reveal their layers, as long as decorative skin wounds aren't involved. Most important, I learned that, sometimes, going off-piste in life is the best way to get back on track.

It worked for me. In the final stages of my SingleAndActiveness, I went out with a guy I met through some mutual college connections—my first offline date in months. He was a smart, ruggedly good-looking film producer. We agreed to meet at a pub.

When he walked into the bar, he immediately knocked over the chair next to mine, and laughed. I was charmed by his quick recovery and melted over his gorgeous thick hair. I liked his face—I liked his everything. The conversation was easy and relaxed. Even more amazing, he told me he loves to travel, ski, and go camping. He's climbed Kilimanjaro and wants to trek in Nepal.

In April, after we'd dated a few more times, I knew exactly what move to make next. I went to the home page of SingleAndActive.com and ceremoniously canceled my membership. The offline guy and I are an item now, hard as it is to believe. It's an awfully sappy plot twist. And I'm totally cool with that.