In the past year I have dabbled in online a dating a few times. I know a lot of women who have found it to be a great alternative to the “old fashioned” way of meeting men, and their success prompted me to give it a try. While I went on a few dates, I can’t say that I found it all that helpful. I met one guy who was amazing online, only to find out he was a self-revolving bragger on the first date. Another man I met apparently decided to post a picture of himself from a few years (and a couple hundred pounds) ago. Yikes! Needless to say, I still think it’s a great way to meet people and for some, even Mr. Right.

My online dating experience did teach me something; I learned that the way that I find attraction in another human being has an elemental aspect to it that can’t be identified or realized in the virtual world. There is a certain amount of chemistry through a face-to-face interaction that for me has to come first. The online dates that evolved into real dates always seemed… empty.

For many us, our lives are just too busy to play the dating game. I don’t have the time or the energy to go to a bar on a Friday night and try to weed a couple potential dates from a hoard of drunk and rowdy sports fans. So I’ll admit that online dating provides a great avenue for finding a special someone, even for me. No one can enter the online dating world with reckless abandon however. We must be savvy in the ways of the web! Let’s break it down:

The Good- online dating allows you to weed out the ones that you know instantly won’t work for you. Take the Green Bay Cheese Head, for example. Loves anything and everything revolving around the Packers. His “about me” reveals nothing less than the fact that he enjoys spending all his free time on the couch watching NFL Sunday Ticket. Sweet. This for me, is an easy weed-out; I love football, but I need diversity in my life!!! Then there’s the guy who sounds absolutely amazing, but has clearly pointed out that he is not open-minded enough to consider meeting someone who has children. As much as this is a major bummer sometimes, I am glad that these guys are honest- it saves me a lot of time. That said, with a little perseverance, you eventually have yourself a nice handful of seemingly great guys and you’re on your way to finding something special.

Then there’s the bad, which has sadly been primarily my experience. The bad is weeding out and selecting that one man to go on a real date with, and finding out that he has not sold himself honestly to you online. I suppose everyone does this to a certain extent, but it’s a serious drag when the guy approaching you at the movies appears to have no resemblance to the man you just spent a few weeks of your time getting to know. Does that make me vein? I guess; but it also makes them dishonest and that I just don’t do.

Dare I even discuss the ugly? The “I hope that never happens to me” kinda ugly? I have no personal experiences to share, but we’ve all heard the stories (mostly from our old school very concerned mothers). There’s the married guy, the perv, the felon, and the scam artist; the ugliest part is that these guys can be some of the best at selling themselves online.

I’m not the best at providing advice in the online dating department, so here’s some cool links about online dating and how to improve your chances of getting the good without the rest.

• Here’s a site full of online dating tips.
• Here’s a blog that will help you with online dating and help you keep things going strong in the romance department.
• Looking for the right online dating service? Look no further.
• Smart Divas Online Dating. Need I say more?

As with everything in life, educating yourself first (instead of just jumping into the deep end like I did) can save you a lot of time and possible heartbreak in the online dating world. Best of luck to all who venture for online love!

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