When Elaine Vitale wants to find true stories of unrequited love, she doesn't turn on her favorite TV reality show. Her choice is a reality show of another kind. She pulls up Craigslist on the Web and clicks on the "Missed Connections" link, a sort of cyber lonely-hearts club, where locals can wax poetic -- and anonymous -- about the one that got away. Vitale, 20, of Squirrel Hill, said she follows the storylines "religiously." "I was instantly addicted," she said, when she found the link on a routine Craigslist check for an apartment in February. "It's kind of embarrassing." "You dropped blueberries at Whole Foods," reads the subject of one recent post, detailing a chance encounter in the produce aisle. "I didn't even notice the blueberries at first because I was looking at you," wrote the smitten shopper. "You're beautiful!" One post, "Serendipitous encounters with my blonde bus mate," pleads for a simple "hello" from a woman its author sees on the bus every morning. Some users, like Jennifer Belden-England, 37, of Pittsburgh, use "Missed Connections" to locate old friends. Belden-England found a long-lost grad school buddy by posting a missed connection on New York City's Craigslist. She received an e-mail from the friend only six hours after posting the message. "He said he had gotten three phone calls telling him about the posting," Belden-England said. While the page is sort of a guilty pleasure for Vitale, a University of Pittsburgh junior, she said she would never consider using it for her own romantic endeavors. More than 10 million people in 190 cities worldwide use Craigslist to search for jobs, apartments and knickknacks every month. And while the site is used mostly for the local exchange of goods and services, the personals section also is well-thumbed. In fact, there are more personal ads on the Pittsburgh Craigslist than items for sale --- some 5,178 locals looking for a buddy, a date or a one-night stand. Craigslist CEO Jim Buckmaster said the site receives 1.6 million posts to the personals section a month -- nearly a 100 percent increase from last year's numbers -- and about 5 million views in the same amount of time. "People like the accessibility, immediacy and inclusiveness of (the personals)," he said, "as well as the flexible, open-ended format." He said the company has even heard of marriages occurring through Craigslist encounters. Thomas May, of Pittsburgh, hasn't found love through it yet, but the site has gotten him a couple good dates. "None turned out to be relationships," said the 33-year-old artist of the 20 or so women he's met through Craigslist posts during a two-year period, "but still had plenty to offer in the way of good times and enjoyment." Out of all the dates, May said only three of the girls were "totally unlike their description" of themselves. For May and others, Craigslist can be a shortcut through the arduous process of casual dating. "Most people are pretty direct about what they want," he said, be it a long-term commitment or a just an uninhibited night on the town. Missed Connections Shadyside Parking Meters Mon. Oct. 17, 2005 Thanks for the convo at the parking meters in Shadyside last thursday ... as well as agreeing with me that their new meters STINK! Maybe next time I won't need just 15 minutes to run my errands : ) therapist - m4w - 31 Sat., Oct. 15, 2005 You: Sweet, funny, slim, blonde-ish blue-eyed occupational therapist who I came to look forward to being tortured by 3 days a week. We'd laugh the whole time I was in the room. Me: "buttheed".....dropped the ball, but I did try to call.....miss you already. If you know Jamie from Moon tell her to call me sometime. ~fat guy in a little coat~ Beautiful Brunette at Pens Game - m4w - 28 Sat., Oct. 15, 2005 You - Petite brunette wearing jeans and a pink shirt to match your pink sneakers. Me - Tall man in a Crosby jersey standing behind you on line for beer after the 1st period. You were with a guy and when he paid for your beer you offered him money, but he refused. I'm hoping he was just a friend and not your boyfriend. You fascinate me. Beautiful blonde at airport parking Shelter #5 - m4w - 22 Fri., Oct. 14, 2005 We stood at the extended parking shelter at 6:30 this morning waiting for the bus that kept passing us by. Your are absolutely stunning, I was absolutely stunned and too shy to say anything. You mentioned that you have a flight at 8 but I dont know to where or even your name. If you happen to read this, which I doubt, I would love to have another chance to talk to you and maybe see what happens..... Lovely hitchhiker - m4w - 31 Thurs., Oct. 13, 2005 to the beautiful young woman i saw trying to get a ride near the Birmingham Bridge on Sunday, Oct 2. i couldn't give you a lift at the time, but i haven't stopped thinking about you since. you looked incredible in your dress. please write me and tell me the color so i know it's you. let's talk. Go to pittsburgh.craigslist.com to read more of the soap opera. But you might want to cover your eyes -- some of the posters use naughty, naughty language.

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