Using Online Dating Sites

If there's one thing the Internet has introduced us to that we love, it's online dating. If you stop to ponder it a bit, you will understand that it makes the whole process of meeting someone to date just way too easy. It is totally possible to browse profiles in your own time and short list a full array of interesting people that you may want to open communications with before wasting a lot of time talking to people who would not interest you in the long run. You already know if you have mutual interests before even initiating any contact. No more lame openers to try to avoid, no more embarrassment when it turns out that the person bats for the other team, nothing like that at all. No more worries about that creepy guy in the corner approaching you just before last call. Better yet, if the person you have your eye on were talking about you behind your back, you wouldn't know about it – you could usually assume it's just them and you.

One thing that baffles me about online dating, unlike dating, is how brash and open the profiles are. Honesty is good in any relationship, but many people in online dating sites give you their life history in their profiles. They are likely doing themselves a disservice in this regard. Maybe its just me, but I think that these people are putting too much on the table up front. It actually leaves you with not that much information to find out about each other later, and quite frankly, a lot of it ends up looking like a crying jag in some cases. Some people just do not get that they should be putting their best foot forward, not their worst.

Then there's the aspect of comfort. How comfortable are you, meeting people you've never met in person? I guess it depends on the person. When it comes to me, I tend to be paranoid and trusting at the same time. As in, I'll go and meet them, but I'll keep my distance.  There have been a few instances of problems with meeting people on dating sites, but probably much less than what happens when you pick up someone at a bar. It is sensible to take precautions like keeping the venue in a public place and keeping it public. Meet for a drink or a coffee the first time you get together rather than for a full date. The same thing your parents would have insisted still works, folks. I am stressing here to meet in a public place the whole time, like a restaurant, a movie theatre, and a crowded street, whatever. If it's appropriate, I'll even bring a friend along and encourage them to do the same. Avoid totally free dating sites. You will find more predators in totally free dating sites because they can contact you with a totally assumed alias. Paid sites are more difficult for predators to use bogus information on, so they usually avoid them

Other than these simple precautions, I only have good things to say about online dating sites. There's also the added mystery: what do they sound like (unless you have already seen them via anonymous video chat), what will they be wearing? I am also nervous too. After all, this could be the love of my life that I am meeting, so I tend to get into a bit of a nervous sweat. From my perspective though, this is nothing more than I experience when walking up to a hot somebody in a bar and introducing myself.

Most of my friends feel that meeting someone online is just a better forum for exploring a new relationship. Aside of the initial pre-contact screening where you filter out people with three eyes and stuff, people using online dating sites tend to focus on the intellect and communication first and foremost. This may be largely because you cannot be influenced by pheromones, ambiance, or clothing which might draw you into a relationship with someone that you are just not intellectually compatible with. Most people will meet someone for the first time within a window of 2 to 6 weeks or so. Going to fast is dangerous, and waiting too long will likely result in never meeting them at all. Personally, I love the conversation bits. Starting off with a few topics (music, TV, movies etc.) and growing into a full blown conversation frenzy about all kinds of things like work, friends, funny stories etc. Some people worry that if you start off that way, you'll run out of things to talk about – I think it's quite the opposite. When I get started with people, I can't run out of things to talk about...all the e-mails back and forth have done is put ideas in each others heads and told us all we need to know to keep things going.

Sometimes meeting an interesting person face to face for the first time ends up in disappointment. No spark! Often though, these people end up being really good friends because there is just so many other things that you have in common. No matter what you are looking for, you are sure to find someone who meets your laundry list on an online dating site, especially if you are like most people and join more than one.

Dating sites are just a natural offshoot of what it is that the Internet does best, and that is to connect people and keep people connected, even at a distance. The Internet is not going away any time soon, and as a consequence, neither are dating sites. Just go for it!

If you are interested in online dating sites, but are not sure where to start, then check out this link:
Dating Online