I am a true sucker for any kind of quiz or survey. Relationship quizzes are no exception.

It’s not that I really expect to learn anything I don’t already know. I don’t honestly believe that they have some special hidden wisdom into my life and relationships.

I do the quizzes because they’re fun.

I like thinking about my relationships, I like answering questions about them. And I can go on about them far longer than any living person could be interested in them. Hence, the appeal of the relationship quiz. If you’re obsessive enough, you can take three minute tests, for hours at a time until – finally! You’ve had enough for awhile.

Sometimes I might come away from a quiz with a new insight or two, but it’s usually not from their assessment at the end. It’s from my own thoughts about the questions being asked.

I’ll grant you that there will usually be a little common sense in these quiz evaluations, but it’s such common sense, I didn’t need to take a test to uncover it. And relationships are such complex things that a cookie-cutter evaluation doesn’t even touch the truth about them.

And as for consistency in this truth telling and revelation – Try taking a couple of different quizzes from different magazines or websites, on the same topic. Take a couple of different tests about the health of your marriage, for instance, or how compatible you are with your boyfriend. Maybe you’re wondering whether you are a Diva or a Shy Mouse, a Party Girl or a Wallflower. You’re interested in knowing what color you are or what cute animal you might be.

Answer just as truthfully on each test. And don’t be surprised if the results of the two of them are completely different. So much for universal wisdom being revealed in a five minute test.

The popularity of such quizzes is probably due to the preoccupation many of us have with our loved ones and questions we all have about our futures. We are always thinking about them, dreaming about the positive things, brooding over the negative, wondering about the significance of this conversation or that event . . . or maybe it’s just me. But I don’t think so, because these quizzes are everywhere. And once you’ve done one, at least online, more will spring up to take its place.

I have had this experience. Took a simple little quiz, just for the curiosity of it, and next day, relationship emails, with quizzes, tests and surveys mushroomed in my Inbox. For days. Maybe it was weeks. My junkmail got a good workout for awhile, that much I can tell you.

You’d think I’d have learned my lesson. And mostly I have. Except that every once in awhile, when I least expect it, a question will catch my eye . . . Have I met my soulmate? And, how will I know if we’re a perfect match? Hmmmmm. Give me a minute, I just need to answer a few questions . . .