Navigating Online Dating (Mini-series, episode 1)

     I was going to wait a little more before starting this “series” on online dating but while browsing the internet, I ran across a letter written by a 50+ year old male, asking about delaying his pursuit of dating due to an overwhelming “like” of an elusive online stranger.  That’s when I knew this information may come in handy NOW and save a lot of y’all from easy mistakes made by the online dating newbie.  

     This won’t be a book, per se, but it will be pointers on what to do, write, watch out for, etc…  There will be no order of importance, but I feel each point is something to seriously think about before venturing into the virtual world of dating.  And as mentioned up there ^^^, these will be sporadic, think of them as a mini-series of thoughts.  I hope this helps!  Here we go:

     With the world suddenly expanding by the use of technology, we are now able to meet instantly, someone across town, across state, across country; online dating was a natural next step to meeting and finding new relationships.  One of the positives of online dating is, with long commutes and the hesitation of “dating where you work”, this is a way to meet folks who you wouldn’t normally run into on your day-to-day dealings.  We don’t all like clubs and bars, and grocery store meetings are very unlikely…not saying it doesn’t happen, but when was the last time you were able to carry on a conversation that led to the exchange of phone numbers?  Uh huh…yeah.  

     Ok, so don’t look at it as “naughty” or something to be kept a secret.  Online dating no longer holds the stigma of yesteryear.  And yes, the same folks you’d meet at the club, bar and grocery store are the same people you’d find online; there isn’t a split of species when it comes to who’s online. …the same everyday folks (and crazies!) out there in the real world, are the same ones online.   The main difference is you’re not afforded the opportunity to use the physical presence as a guide.  

     With that being said, the FIRST tip for online dating is this….when it comes to posting pictures of themselves online, some people exaggerate.  And misrepresent.  And downright lie sometimes.   So take notes….  

1.       If every picture on a person’s profile is only showing them from far away, or not quite in focus, this person is probably unattractive, even to him/herself.

2.       If every picture is a face shot, this person probably has a weight problem…or some other disfiguring body issue.

3.       If the pictures seem to have a dated look to them, these folks have decided they looked better 10-20 (30?) years ago, and used THOSE pictures instead of showing their current situation.

4.       If all the pictures are group pictures, the person is using his/her good looking guy / girlfriends as bait.

5.       Multiple ass, boobs, and penis shots, multiple shirtless poses, naked in any fashion,  suggestive tongue shots, suggestive ANY shots, this person is insecure, may have self-esteem issues, or/and are only out for sexual relationships.

6.       If there is no picture, it’s either a scam, an unclever unattractive person, or he/she is married or in a relationship and is using online sites to creep on unsuspecting victims.

      There may be other tell-tale signs in the pictures, but these are the ones that are most common.  Ok, that's it for now but stay tuned...Episode 2 will cover “What their Profile is REALLY saying!!”.