Singles Online | Web Dating

One of the most popular types of relationships these days are those that are formed through online relationships or online acquaintances. Online dating services and social networking sites have played a big role in promoting relationships between online partners. In some cases, however, this can cause some uneasiness and tension, especially when it comes to sharing your life with your online partner. Perhaps the most difficult thing about online dating is sharing with your partner that you have a health condition that may affect your significant other’s perception of you. If you are suffering from a health condition and you want to tell your online partner about it, then read on for some helpful advice.

Health conditions that affect relationships

There are numerous types of health conditions that can be potentially harmful or have a negative effect on your relationships with others, especially in online relationships wherein there always seems to be a looming uncertainty about who the other person is and what he or she is actually like in real life. Here are some health conditions that may potentially have a negative affect on a relationship if both partners are not ready to face the condition as a couple, and help each other cope with the difficulties that the health condition may bring:

* Depression – Depression is extremely difficult to deal with as an individual, but when a person affected by depression is in a relationship, his or her partner also needs to deal with the extreme mood changes.

* Sexually transmitted diseases – Sexually transmitted diseases can be a problem for partners because it may affect the sexual aspect of the relationship, especially if it is a disease like HIV or AIDS, which are yet to have a cure.

* Cancer – Cancer is a huge drain on couples in numerous ways. Not only do both individuals have to deal with the many tremendous changes to day-to-day life, but financial, emotional, and physical problems are also concerns when it comes to dealing with cancer as a couple.

Tips for telling your online partner about your condition

- Make sure to give your partner notice before telling him or her about your health condition, so that he or she can be prepared for the news that you have to share.

- When you finally do speak with your partner about your health condition, make it a point to say that you are ready and willing to take on the challenge of dealing with your condition as a couple. This may help inspire courage and security in your partner.

- Finally, never lie about your health condition by downplaying it or exaggerating it. Instead, try to be open and truthful, because a relationship built on honesty and trust is likely to be stronger, healthier, and more rewarding for both persons involved.

Related questions:

1. What are some health conditions that may have a negative effect on a relationship?
2. How can I go about telling my partner about a rather major health condition that I have?
3. Is it ok to downplay or exaggerate my health condition to get my partner to be more supportive of me?

When you get involved with an online date, there always seems to be a tad of uneasiness when it comes to conversations, especially when it comes to certain topics that are more difficult to discuss. A good example of such a topic would be about sex life. Bringing up the topic of intimacy – whether past, present, or future – can potentially make your online date feel uncomfortable. Still, it is important to discuss sex life and intimacy if you want to be in a serious relationship with your online partner. If you have an online partner and you want to share a deeper, more meaningful relationship, then you may want to follow some of these tips on discussing intimacy:

Make sure you and your online date are comfortable with each other

Perhaps the most important consideration to keep in mind is that you want both yourself and your date to be comfortable in conversation. It would be rather awkward to discuss such a deep and meaningful topic if you and your partner hardly know each other or if you are still uncomfortable talking with one another. Try to spend some time getting to know each other before discussing topics such as sex life or intimacy. Without taking the time to get to know one another, you may easily scare off or send the wrong impression to your online partner, especially with such a touchy topic that may have repercussions if not handled carefully.

Wait for a good time to bring up the topic

Another thing to consider is your timing. It will not be very beneficial to start off a conversation talking about something as serious as one’s sex life. As the saying goes, timing is everything. Take heed and wait for the right timing to bring up the topic about intimacy or sex life. If you are truly intent on discussing the topic, then you may want to think of some questions that you can ask to steer your conversation in the topical direction that you want. Perhaps the best thing to do would be to let the conversation and your relationship take their natural course. Instead of trying to choreograph or plan your conversation to get to the topic of sex and intimacy, maybe you should just wait for the topic to come up in your natural dialogue. At least then, you would know that the timing is natural and that there is nothing to feel ashamed or anxious about.

Related questions:

1. How can I bring up the topic of sex life with my online date?
2. How will I know if I am ready to discuss serious topics such as intimacy with my online date?
3. Is it ok to discuss sex life with an online date?

There are times when you feel so comfortable with someone you have met online that both of you may feel ready to take the next step, which, in an online relationship often involves meeting in person. Most online daters see this as a way to see if the chemistry they found online translates well in real life. This can be as stressful to both parties concerned and is very much like a first date, although you may have been talking to each other for years or months. When it comes to meeting for the first time, online daters are often advised to take precautions because they do not fully know the person they are meeting. Here are some tips:

Always meet in a public place

Online safety experts say that when it comes to meeting people for the first time always choose a public place. An outdoor cafe is one good example of a great place for meeting someone from an online dating site. When meeting someone for the first time, meeting for coffee is usually the best way to go. Having coffee together usually sets a time limit and you won’t worry about having to spend an entire day or afternoon if the date turns out to be bad. A public place is also the safest to meet a person whom you have only known online. Arrive and leave separately and use your own transportation. It is also important that you leave your meeting details, such as the place you’ll be going to and the name of your companion with a couple of friends.

Have fun

Have fun and enjoy the moment. This will help you feel more relaxed, which in turn will help relax your new friend. Feeling nervous and anxious is normal if you are meeting someone for the first time, especially if this is someone you like. However, you will have better luck giving a positive and memorable first impression by being yourself. Treat the date as nothing more than lunch with an old friend and you will surely enjoy it more.

With all the dangers that abound on the Internet, being careful is a necessity. It is important to take precautions when meeting someone online. You never know but the love of your life could be just a chat away, but so is a potential online stalker. So enjoy yourself but, at the same time, always take precautions.

Related questions:

1. When should I agree to meet someone in person?
2. Aside from cafes, what are other options for locations when meeting someone for the first time?
3. How long should our first meeting be?

Online dating is a fast and convenient way to meet potential romantic partners. It has become more popular today because people have become so busy that they often do not have time to go out on traditional dinner dates. However, with every upside comes a downside. Because the Internet fosters anonymity, it becomes a fertile ground for deception. Con artists, stalkers, and other types of dubious personalities lurk online ready to prey on unsuspecting singles. Here are two of the most common signs that may tell you if your online date is being honest or not.

Inconsistent information

Lying often leads to inadvertently saying information that doesn’t always add up. If you are talking to a person and you notice inconsistencies about his or her life story, from information on past schools to where he or she spent summers, be careful. He or she may be finding it hard to keep stories straight because the stories are not real.

Doesn’t provide direct answers to your questions

If you sense that your online date seems to avoid directly answering questions, this is a serious red flag. Some people may refuse to reply to certain questions for personal reasons, but when this becomes a habit or this prevents you from learning anything significant about your online friend, then it is better to be careful and take a step back. Conversations may become awkward if you both do not trust each other. If this happens, you can always stop communicating by blocking that person from your account. Most dating sites provide members with a block feature for this purpose.

These are just two of the most common signs you should look for when dating someone online. Lying is so easy to do online so if you want to date safely, be on the lookout for red flags and know what to do when these red flags arise. While you can still continue talking with these types of online daters, establishing a trusting relationship with a person who is not very eager to share information about his or her life may not be very easy to do.

Related questions:

1. How can I spot lies in online dating?
2. How do I know if my online date is telling the truth?
3. What do I do if I caught my online date lying to me?

In the early ’90s, the idea of dating online was a no-no for some because of the attached social stigma. But when romantic movies tackled online dating as a place to find true love, more and more people warmed up to the idea. Today, online dating is a popular means to meet potential love partners.

Online dating as portrayed in movies

The concept of online dating has been romanticized so many times in movies, some of which featured top actors and actresses like Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks. The movie Must Love Dogs is an example of a romantic comedy that features the Internet as the tool for falling in love. There’s this social stigma tied to online dating during the early ’90s. It used to be a marginal activity but this soon disappeared with the release of You’ve Got Mail, a romantic comedy starring Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks. Online dating is indeed a very romantic idea and is perhaps the perfect way for very busy people to widen their horizons and find love. In these movies, the main characters usually develop a friendship through an online dating site and they fall in love even without seeing each other in person. While this happens to a good number of online daters, most movies do not show the darker, more dangerous side to online dating, when people meet other daters who are not totally honest about their personal information. Online daters are often reminded to be very careful and to avoid online dating scams, which abound on the Internet.

Reasons why online dating is becoming more popular

Online dating is becoming more and more popular because of a number of factors. For one, the popularity and the need for the Internet is causing people to spend more and more time online. Online dating is becoming the most popular form of dating because it is convenient, fast, does not come with the stressors usually associated with traditional face-to-face dating, such as preparations, eating out, and looking for activities to do, and you can do it in the comfort of home. Online dating also allows daters to meet multiple other singles at a time and develop friendships before they decide to take the next step and agree to meet in person.

Online dating used to be associated with social stigma that made people afraid to try it out. This is now forgotten because of the release of popular romantic movies that placed online dating in a good light.

Related questions:

1. Should you try online dating?
2. How did online dating become popular?
3. Why is online dating so popular now?

Don’t blame it on fairy tales.  Don’t blame it on Disney.  Romance and searching for The One seems to be women’s default mode.  So you’ve looked for love before and had your share of near misses and heartbreaks.  Should you stop? No.  Unless you’re 100% certain that you’d be happier growing old by yourself—and you know you’d be lying—you don’t let go until you run out of places to look.  Why not try online dating? After all, millions of singles are on it, so online dating experiences can’t be that bad.  Why should they have all the fun?

Trying online dating, and seeing for yourself

The probability of success in online dating is high, because you have both quality and quantity on your side.  In just the same amount of time that you’d normally spend on a dinner date, you can browse through hundred of profiles which have been pre-selected based on your preferences.  That’s just the appetizer!  Virtually flirt with a kilt- wearing, bagpipe playing Scott if you must.  Whether your taste in men leans toward Athens, Greece or Athens, Georgia, you’ll never run out of choices in online dating.  Aside from this, you get a sneak preview of a potential date, because profiles come with
photos.  And if you’re the shy type, who would normally blush and trip over your tongue at even the slightest male attention, online dating might be more your thing.

How to have successful online dating experiences

Online dating should be a fun experience, so don’t be so stressed out about finding Mr.  Right.  Be upbeat, not uptight.  The more relaxed you are, the better your chances of meeting someone who will see, like, and eventually love the real you.  Putting your best foot forward is expected, but you don’t have to lie to get it done.  There’s no point in presenting a romanticized version of yourself that you won’t be able to live up to anyway.

Photo Credit : kimba

Your online dating experience should be a memorable one, and not for a bad experience.  Unfortunately, no technology is intelligent enough to filter out the con artists, perverts, and psychos who do exist.  Although there’s just as many of them in the regular dating scene, it’s the illusion of anonymity that the Internet offers is the main reason why these individuals thrive online.  Now, you’re just a nice, single woman who’s hoping to find Mr. Right in cyberspace.  What can you do to keep yourself from being the poor victim of these Internet predators?  Actually, you already have what it takes to rotect
yourself: common sense, discernment, and a little help from these reminders.

One online dating danger is enough risk

Identity thefts are becoming more prevalent online.  The bad guys take every bit of personal information they can get and pretend to be you in online transactions.  There are also the stalkers who can have you looking behind your shoulder even as you walk in broad daylight.  As if these aren’t scary enough, there’s that danger of meeting the person you think could be your soul mate and then finding yourself naked and alone in some sleazy hotel with no recollection of what happened.

Online dating precautions you should take

Instead of scaring yourself into becoming a nervous wreck, take control of your safety.  Never give your personal information after one or two exchanges, no matter how nice and chivalrous your date seems.  As much as possible, keep your online dating communication on a blind e-mail address.  This is an e-mail address that you create simply for Internet dating, something which—even if hacked—won’t give anyone all the details about your personal life.  Don’t give your home address, phone number, and the name of the company where you work.  Wait until your date has shown himself worthy of your trust before you arrange a real meeting.  Even if he does, make sure you meet him in public and during daytime.  In a nutshell, don’t rush into a relationship.

Photo Credit : thorinside

It’s the same old story.  Boy meets girl.  Girl thinks he’s The One and starts thinking up names for their would-be kids.  But long before she gets to their nicknames, boy meets another girl and—RIP!—another chapter is torn off the fairy tale.  Does this sound like your story?  Except that your guy met another guy?  Or maybe your prince is turning into a frog?  Whatever it is, you’re just about ready to give up on dating and love.  Before you do, consider all the uncharted kingdoms and the princes that you haven’t met yet.  They’re all out there, and with the Internet, not one of them can be far beyond your reach.  The key to finding and keeping Mr. Right is at your fingertips.

How to find Mr. Right

Finding Mr. Right can be frustrating sometimes, but that’s not an excuse to settle for Mr. Right Now.  Online dating gives you endless possibilities! There are the nice but shy guys in your area who aren’t in your social circle—but who definitely show boyfriend potential.   If you have a taste for the exotic, there’s that poetry spouting Italian and the Greek god in Athens who are both just a virtual flirt away.  Even if you know how to find Mr. Right, the thing about online dating is that more often, Mr. Right finds you.

It all begins with choosing an online dating site that’s right for you.  You may go for dating sites based on shared interests or those that cater only to people of the same faith.  Write a profile that’s catchy but presents who you are in a nutshell.  Upload a recent photo that puts your best face forward.  Browse through men’s profiles and start an exchange with someone you’re interested in.  Respond graciously with those who contact you, even if it’s not love at first sight—you never know what’s in store.

Keeping Mr. Right

Set realistic expectations, and once you find someone who fits your idea of the right guy, don’t go on a nitpicking spree.  Just keep a list of valid deal breakers, such as lying and use of abusive language.  Show appreciation whenever he does something nice for you, but be sincere with your compliments.  Don’t lie.  A lot of online daters say they’ve been lied to, so make a difference.

Photo Credit : 37Hz

Competition can be really tough when looking for Mr.  Right through the Internet.  Subtract the scumbags and players from the male population, and you’re left with an even smaller number of potential partners.  You’re just a nice girl trying to find a nice guy, how hard can it be? I hate to say this, but VERY— especially when you have a habit of committing certain blunders that kill online relationships.  Ever wonder why online dating do’s and don’ts have more “don’ts” than “do’s”? That’s because common mistakes that women make can get Cupid flying out the window.

Common mistakes that make men bolt

The devil is in the details.  Let’s face it.  Women like to talk, but save the gabfest for your girlfriends.  It’s good to tell him about your interests, such as your love for cooking.  Just don’t rattle on about the right way to chop onions, and did he know about this amazing brand of fillet knife? Trust me, he’ll say that your talk got him famished and that he won’t be back until he’s eaten—a lifetime’s worth of meals.  Telling men all the gory details isn’t just boring; it kills the mystery, too.  Also, spinning lies to appear more interesting is a no-no.  Men are people, too, and they don’t deserve to be lied to, just like you.  Besides, would you risk having a date walk out on you once he sees that your idea of looking like Sarah Jessica Parker is having a horse-y face? Another major blunder is to be too psyched about him.  Going gung-ho at the start of an online relationship can scare guys off.  Send him three love notes every day, and he’ll think you’re obsessed and desperate.  However, playing coy and hard-to-get can make him balk, too.

Online dating do’s and don’ts—but “don’ts” mostly

Don’t be an open book—not only for dating success but for personal safety.   Don’t lie and then expect to find Mr.  Right.  Relationships should be based on trust.  Do like yourself first and exude confidence.  It’ll never work unless your date likes you for who you are.  Don’t border on the extremes.  Never be too enthusiastic or play hard-to-get if you want to keep him interested.  Lastly, don’t make the same online dating mistakes that other women make, and let love find you.

Photo Credit : Muhammad Adnan Asim

In both offline and online relationships, it seems so much easier to commit blunders than to get things right.  It’s no wonder that you’ll see more “don’ts” in dating do’s and don’ts that you find over the Internet.  If you want to have a successful online dating experience, avoid errors that lead not only to strained communication, but to heartache as well.  While projecting a certain image may do wonders for you in your career, being someone other than the real “you” is a top dating no-no.

Identifying the three most common mistakes

The first blunder is to mistake confidence for cockiness.  Exuding self-assurance is sexy, but not if you behave like you’re God’s gift to women.  While playing it cool can sometimes make you appear too casual and aloof, it’s an even bigger turnoff to be too aggressive.  Your date might think that you’re a pervert who’s just making a booty call.  Don’t rush her into swapping personal information and meeting up right away.  You don’t want her to think that you’re a psycho or a stalker or both.  Second, setting high expectations is guaranteed to result in disappointment.  Expecting anyone to be perfect will have you ending up with a long list of user IDs with zero success.  Third, lying your way into a relationship just won’t work.  Not only is it impossible for a relationship to run on deceit, women won’t even give you that chance to be in a relationship.  You know what they say, “Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me.”

How to avoid errors in online dating

Don’t go to the extremes in an attempt to play safe.  Put your best face forward and thank her if she thinks your profile photo is very Josh Hartnett (and make sure it’s not Josh Hartnett’s!), but don’t make her feel as if she just won the online dating lottery.  Don’t host a pity party either, saying that you can’t get being the high school fatso out of your skin.  Appreciate your date’s good side, but acknowledge her weaknesses.  Just set deal breakers like when she lies to you or starts asking for money.  Don’t lie either.  You want her to fall for you—not the image you made her believe.

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