I received this question several times.
REPLY: There were a lot of things that I enjoyed about my relationship with Acie. Let me begin by saying that the majority of men that I met online would not agree to be filmed. Acie, also did not want to be filmed but eventually agreed because he knew that it was the only way that he could see me due to my agreement with ABC NEWS. Acie’s willingness to truly extend himself to pursue a relationship with me was very significant. He was also very intelligent and personable. Hence, I began to quickly develop strong feelings for him.
However, many tense moments and disagreements transpired that were not aired. Unfortunately, the audience was left wondering- “What happened? It seemed like it was going so well?” I was filmed for over 200 hours (most of that was with Acie) and the viewers saw less than an hour of footage. (That is only 0.5%)
Without Acie having the chance to express his side of the story here, it would not be fair for me to give a laundry list of grievances. However in the most general of terms, I developed concerns about some differences we had in ideals about family structure. Also, I was concerned when he did not treat me respectfully in the end- when the relationship no longer met his expectations. Futhermore, situations arose where I had concerns that he was looking for perfection in me as a mate whereas I was looking to be with a mate that I could accept “as is”-even if that meant taking the time to grow “used to” or “see past” certain things as the relationship grew.
We had other disagreements that would cause any viewer to seriously doubt our suitability as a couple. On the other hand, we also had very long, heart felt, and in depth conversations (lasting hours) about the status of our relationship. We both cherished the openness and communication we had with one another. Practically none of this footage was shown.
-Reisha
UPCOMING POST: I will answer these questions from ventureheart.com visitors in a blog post in the upcoming week:
...I think it will be a challenge for you to find that "patient" man. You can have massages, dance provocatively with him on the dance floor, cuddle on the couch but not even a kiss will be exchanged without a commitment to marriage? Do you think the presence of the camera crew (and the pressure of publicizing what would ordinarily be a private experience) had any impact on the demise of your relationship with Acie (or was it just not meant to be)? Overall, how would you rate your experience with online dating in general and the "Hooking Up" taping experience in particular? Did online dating distract you from focusing on Acie since so many people were contacting you via the internet?