Michael Douglas wonders:


Consider this scenario! You meet a guy in an Internet chat room. You exchange a few text messages with him and both of you seem to hit it off instantly. In the days that follow you are spending a wholesome number of hours every day in chatting with him. You revel in his brilliant flair for conversation, which entices you to open up and discuss about the most intimate aspects of your life. One day, he sends you his photograph via e-mail. Suddenly, you have a face for the man with whom you have been chatting for so long. You find him good looking and that night when you go to bed you find yourself fantasising that he is in the same bed beside you.

Next day, you select your best photograph and, without losing another moment, e-mail it to him. Things go on an overdrive after that, as he promptly e-mails back that he wants to meet you. You are eager to meet him too, yet suddenly the realisation dawns that you hardly know this guy. All you have about him is a photograph and the lines of text messages that you had exchanged for the past few weeks. Going out with him would be almost like going on a blind date. You have never been on a blind date before and you are naturally kind of nervous about going out with a stranger. After all, you are one those girls who consider themselves really picky when it comes to guys they date.

You e-mail him a suitable excuse that you think might suffice to satisfy him. But he is insistent that he wants to meet you in person. The next email from him contains his mobile number and a note that says that he wants to talk to you. You hurriedly dial his number and hear his voice for the first time. His voice sounds reassuring and confident just like his text messages did. He assures you that the date he has in mind will be totally platonic. Nothing physical is about to happen! You laugh at the idea. But he has already made deep inroads into your heart and you are now about as eager to meet this guy, as he seems to be to meet you.

The nagging possibility that this unknown stranger might even turn out to be the elusive lover you have always dreamed of has already taken hold of you. But even as your mind is agog with the possibilities, you are also being racked by some real defeatist thinking, “Sure, he seems charming, but all jerks sound charming on the phone.” Before the phone conversation is over you have made an dinner date with him at a popular restaurant. Now there is no turning back, you are already committed to a date with a person who is almost a stranger to you.

So how should you prepare for this blind date? Here are a few points that you should consider:

1) Location is of utmost importance. You have done the right thing by agreeing to meet him in a public restaurant where, if something gets wrong and your dream date turns into a nightmare, you will have the protection of the crowd around you.

2) Cash and credit cards. It may be the guy’s task to pay, but the woman should not appear empty handed just in case.

3) Condoms for both men and women. Hey, he might have promised a platonic date. But you never know how things might progress once you and he get together. We are living in the modern age. Whatever your outlook to sex and relationships, it is always advisable to be prepared for any eventuality.

4) A smart woman should never leave her house without a mobile on her person and if she is going on a blind date, a mobile is of even greater importance. If something goes wrong, you can always summon help through your mobile.

5) As an added precaution you may ask your friend to call you about 45 minutes into the date. If things are going well, you can send the call to voice-mail.

6) Before leaving your home you need to make sure that you know the directions to the restaurant where you two are meeting.

7) A sense of honour. Okay it’s not “a thing” but it is the one factor that ruins dates more than anything else, the inability to laugh and enjoy oneself. Going on a date in a bad mood is not going to make your guy feel special.

While taking all the precautions it is also essential that you avoid distrusting him completely. After all, people are innocent until proven guilty, so there is no need for you to take along an attitude that you blind date is going to be as bad as your ex-boyfriend. For best result you must take trust and doubt pragmatically.

9) Never forget that it was the personality that you displayed while chatting on the Internet that got him so enthused about you. Make sure that you haven’t left your personality behind at home. Whilst first dates can be quite daunting for many, there is no excuse for forgetting yourself.

10) Never be on time or he will take you for granted. Being a lady it is your progressive to be 15-30 minutes late for the date. But at the same time you should make sure that you are not too late.

That’s about it! He meets you inside or outside the restaurant as you have arranged with him, and you get to make eye contact with your blind date. Once you are at a table in the restaurant you should relax, get a drink for both parties and settle down for some great conversation which, hopefully, will be as invigorating as the Internet chatting you two had indulged in. May be, you will find in him what you have always been looking for in a man.

But if that happens to be the case you must exercise caution in the way you express your feelings for him. Men enjoy giving a chase. Apply every trick in the book to let him know that you are interested, but don’t let him know for sure.

Here are a few tips that you can incorporate to impress your man on your first date:

1) Display your personality in everything that you do during your date. For example, when it comes to food, go ahead and order what you truly want to eat. Don’t let him order for you, make him feel that you are really in control.

2) Don’t check out other men at the restaurant while you are dating this guy. Make sure that he is not checking out other women.

3) During conversation try to find out if he has any good platonic female friends. Men should be able to relate to women as friends, not just as sex objects.

4) Never rush to sex. This is the first date and if you give him what he wants on the first date itself, he might lose interest in you. Wait for few weeks – if not months – before bringing sex into your relationship. It is most important that you do it at the time of your own choosing and not of his choosing.

5) This is your first date with him, so it is always better to keep it brief. You want to have something to talk about the next time you get to meet him.

6) Don’t tell him everything about yourself, eventually you may, but at the first date it is better to be a tad conservative in talking about your personal life and thoughts. Instead give him a chance to open up. All men like to talk about themselves and if you grant him that opportunity he will start worshipping the ground beneath your feet.

7) But if he talks too much about himself you may as well decide to avoid him in future. Talking too much about oneself is a sign of insecurity.

It is possible that he might be the man you would like to be married to, but never talk about marriage on your first date.

9) Flirt. A mild flirting is a good way to get him really interested in you. You may joke around with him, make lots of eye contact and may be touch him on the arm. But don’t overdo the flirting routine. Try to keep it a little mysterious, not totally obvious. Never let him develop the notion that you are head over heels gaga over him.

10) But if you find that the guy is a loser and you want to get away from him then you could start talking about something really boring – like the configuration of your laptop. That will usually scare him off.

11) It is important that you should not be tense when you arrive for a tryst with your date. You should smile a lot and keep things fun and happy. Being confident and smiley will elicit a far more positive response. If he isn’t the macho kind and you don’t like him anyway, don’t let that spoil your evening.

You can still even have some affectionate fun with him – anything goes as long as it remains at a platonic level.

If you do all the things right, there is no reason why you should not emerge a winner in all your relationships.

Ingrid Margaret wonders:


When you take advantage of free online dating services, there doesn’t need to be any blind dates accepted or engaged in. This means that you get to know about the other person on the date before ever going out with him or her.

In free online dating services, you learn to know people through less threatening ways so that by the time you actually meet in person, you are more comfortable with one another.

Shared Pictures

With the best of the dating services sites, you will be able to post and download photos of the people you are communicating with. You should always select pictures that show you in your best attitude, but don’t share a picture that is obviously outdated, such as a picture of you as a 25 year old when you just had your 45th birthday. You should also be careful about sharing pictures of you before you gained 75 pounds. You should certainly never send pictures of someone else pretending that they are photos of you.

Preliminary Conversations

When taking part in the activities on free online dating services sites, you will typically have the opportunity to take part in email contacts. Beyond emails, many members will gradually begin to expand into public and then private chats with another person. Through this process, there is some knowledge gained of the other person’s personality, likes and dislikes. You can also begin to make some decisions about whether you want to carry the relationship to the level of meeting in person. You won’t have to be operating totally blind in this meeting. You will have already gained some information about the person and can decide whether the meeting is likely to be a success or not.

Major Likes and Dislikes

When you are taking one of the free online dating services contacts to the next level, you have already determined whether the other individual has likes and dislikes that mesh with your own. If you definitely are a vegetarian and the other person’s favorite food is rib eye steak–medium rare, you may have a difficult time determining where you will be able to find a restaurant that both of you will appreciate. Learning about such characteristics before getting to the dating level will save you a lot of time.

Finding an activity

Getting ready to meet someone that you got to know using free online dating services is an important step in the progression of your relationship. One of the things that will help you be more relaxed in meeting the person face to face for the first time is finding an activity that works for a first date. Finding an activity that you both enjoy is easier because you have learned something about each other previously. You can take advantage of that to pick activities for your date that will help relieve the stress of meeting a person for the first time.

No expectations

Meeting the people you have contacted at the free online dating services web site is easier if you don’t form a series of expectations that must be met prior to the time of actually talking to the person face to face. You are better off to try to keep an open mind about whether you will enjoy each other’s company or not. You must decide that it is okay no matter which way the date goes. That way, you can relax and enjoy the date rather than forming mental road maps of what will happen next.

Ingrid Margaret wonders:


 

In free online dating services, you learn to know people through less threatening ways so that by the time you actually meet in person, you are more comfortable with one another before developing into any further relationships.

 

Shared Pictures

 

With the best of the dating services sites, you will be able to post and download photos of the people you are communicating with. You should always select pictures that show you in your best attitude, but don’t share a picture that is obviously outdated, such as a picture of you as a 25 year old when you just had your 45th birthday.  You should also be careful about sharing pictures of you before you gained 75 pounds.  You should certainly never send pictures of someone else pretending that they are photos of you.

 

Preliminary Conversations

 

When taking part in the activities on free online dating services sites, you will typically have the opportunity to take part in email contacts.  Beyond emails, many singles members will gradually begin to expand into public and then private chats with another person.  Through this process, there is some knowledge gained of the other person’s personality, likes and dislikes.  You can also begin to make some decisions about whether you want to carry the relationships to the level of meeting in person. You won’t have to be operating totally blind in this meeting.  You will have already gained some information about the person and can decide whether the meeting is likely to be a success or not.

 

Major Likes and Dislikes

 

When you are taking one of the free online dating services singles contacts to the next level, you have already determined whether the other individual has likes and dislikes that mesh with your own. If you definitely are a vegetarian and the other person’s favorite food is rib eye steak–medium rare, you may have a difficult time determining where you will be able to find a restaurant that both of you will appreciate. Learning about such characteristics before getting to the dating level will save you a lot of time.

 

Finding an activity 

 

Getting ready to meet someone that you got to know using free online dating services is an important step in the progression of your relationships.  One of the things that will help you be more relaxed in meeting the person face to face for the first time is finding an activity that works for a first date. Finding an activity that you both enjoy is easier because you have learned something about each other previously.  You can take advantage of that to pick activities for your date that will help relieve the stress of meeting a person for the first time.

 

No expectations

 

Meeting the people you have contacted at the free online dating services web site is easier if you don’t form a series of expectations that must be met prior to the time of actually talking to the person face to face.  You are better off to try to keep an open mind about whether you will enjoy each other’s company or not. You must decide that it is okay no matter which way the date goes. That way, you can relax and enjoy the date rather than forming mental road maps of what will happen next.

 

Wei Lien wonders:


Evolved from the age-old concept of matchmaking and blind date, online dating has progressed both quantitatively and qualitatively over the years, and is destined to continue to do so for years to come. Whereas online dating originated as nothing more than scanning names and pictures of singles, popular websites such as MySpace and Friendster have demonstrated how features such as searchable databases, personalized pages, and blogs can benefit those searching for love online.

There are other dating alternatives out there besides online dating, such as speed dating, being setup in a blind date by friends/relatives, or simply just meeting people in a bar/club. However, because online dating is so convenient and easy to use it has become one of the most popular matchmaking services. Clearly, online dating has come a long way since its inception. What else can we expect from the industry as technology continues to advance?

• Improved accountability – As the online dating industry expands and improves, we will see fewer instances of members not being who they claim to be. A large factor is due to the fact that online dating sites are beginning to understand the necessity of performing background checks on their members. However, a growing trend toward instant messaging and other forms of communication can be observed. This trend is also predicted to turn to video and audio conversations online. Ideally, being able to talk face-to-face via webcam such as using speed dating and blind date service provided by 15minuteDate.com will weed out predators and encourage members to be more realistic about who they are.

• More mobility – People can now use cell phones to message friends, check email, and even browse the mobile web. It is also predicted that cell phones also will become another major method of online matchmaking.

• Better searchability – In recent years, websites with extensive and searchable databases have transformed online dating. Sites such as MySpace and Friendster allow members to fill out a profile, which other members can search to find people with compatible interests and lifestyles. This trend toward improved searchability will continue as technology and demand usher in new standards of online matchmaking. Thus, when users are matched online, they will less likely to be matched up in a random blind date.

• More personal interactions – Online dating sites are beginning to realize the importance of personalized interaction. The trend toward personal expression — as evidenced in detailed online dating profiles, MySpace personal pages, and blogs — will continue, allowing members to choose their dates more and more on the basis of compatibility.

It wasn’t very long ago that most people expressed suspicion of online dating. Meeting people online posed a safety threat because they might not be who they said they were — not to mention marked you as desperate in the eyes of many skeptics. However, as the Internet has become the basis for more and more personal, social, and business interactions, online dating has also become more acceptable — and, as a necessity, more safe. It is predicted that these trends, triggered by technological advancements and the growing interest in online dating, will continue for many years to come. Who knows — by the time your grandchildren are dating, perhaps online dating will be the standard, rather than the exception!

15minuteDate is a new concept in online matchmaking that combines the best of blind date and speed dating. By using the service, users will be matched up in a 15 minute blind date/speed dating session where they can meet their blind date face-to-face via webcam.

Francis Githinji wonders:


If there is a place which has a booming online business then it has to be Australia. The Australian dating sites owners and the people who are looking for dating partners online are benefiting. The traditional way of finding love is slowly being replaced by the technology way of doing it. To be sure of success Australian singles are registering in more than one site. Years back it was hard to get a place with good Internet connection. The Internet was poor and was not easily available but now almost every home and office has excellent Internet connection. There is both the opportunity and the ability to surf the Internet for happiness and love. The lifestyle of many people in down under have been influenced highly by the computers.

The majority of Australians work with computers through their daily activities and so it wouldn’t be a big deal to browse over the dating profiles placed on the many reliable Australian dating sites. Online dating in Australia has been made easy by the fact that most people interact with computers more often than they do with people. It is convenient to chat with others while you are still in your bed room than it is to invite a friend in your comfort zone. Social networking platforms have enabled people from all over the world to live more superficial lifestyles. You will certainly agree with me that it saves your face to express all your desires, fantasies, and feelings without fear of rejection and embarrassment. A face to face rejection encounter can be so disastrous to a point of forcing you to ask for a transfer or change your peers.

This can be very expensive therefore online dating has been cheap in more than one ways. It is a risk free and fun way of hooking up with partners and friends with minimum effort. It encourages flirting as a way of testing whether the relationship can result into anything serious. If you see a hope of compatibility, you can then plan for a physical meeting. That is how much an online dating can be convenient. No wonder online Australian dating sites are gaining popularity with each passing day. The first date cannot actually be grouped as a blind date after the exchange of photos, and e-mail messages. It is just an opportunity to see the person you have been longing to set your eyes on.

There are generally two classifications of Australian dating sites. This is depending on the goal of the singles visiting the site. There is the mainstream dating where an individual is more focused on serious long-term relationship and there is the casual version of it where members are more interested in seeking casual sex than commitment. There are also some hybrids though they are not very popular since it is hard to mix romance and sex. This is because many people are put off by the commitment desires. They might want to enjoy sex with no strings attached  and will cruise at the sign of emotional attachment.

Sam Spike wonders:


How do you know whether it’s A “Blind” Date?

With the advent of Internet, the concept of blind date is now commonplace in our society. Now the question is what is the difference between a date and a blind date? The date can be blind only when the participants of the date had not met each other previously. A third party can arrange the blind date. But in the age of Internet, you hardly need any third party to set up a date for you. You can find your own blind date from chatrooms or from any instant messaging services or from any network for socializing. After you talk to the person over chat or over phone, you finally decide to meet him/her in person. You fix on a place of common interest and talk your heart out for getting to know each other in a much better way.

Is It Me You Are Looking For?

As they say, love is blind, so why not give blind date a try? Once you start liking someone over chats i.e. in your own virtual world, you will surely want to meet that person in reality. If there is any such feeling, do not suppress your feelings and just go ahead and arrange a date with that the person. After all, love blossoms through the channel of likings. Talk as much as possible on your first date. If you guys are not movie buffs, movie theatre will not be an ideal place to go for the blind date. It doesn’t sound wise at all to watch some other persons for two or more hours when you are supposed to interact with the person who can be your prospective life partner. It will help you find whether your Mr. Virtual Perfect is Mr. Perfect in reality or not and vice versa. There are loads of examples where all these likings have turned into simple friendship after the first date. It is not anybody’s fault. A person can be totally different than he had sounded earlier. May be you used to be more attracted towards that person in chatrooms. On the other hand, the person may turn out to be just the one you have dreamt so far. And your story may have a happy ending.

When you’ve Found Your Man, Make Sure He’s For Real

Do not limit your relationships to your chatrooms. It is not likely that you have same kind of feelings toward all the persons you are chatting with. You may have some special feelings for any one of them, though in profile he/she has written to be mirror-cracking material. But does look matter at all in a long-term relationship? And when you start to feel in a different way for a particular person with such a profile, his looks will become inconsequential and you will feel the urge to meet the person face to face. And you never know, this person can turn out to be a handsome hunk or a gorgeous beauty! But at this point, looks hardly add any extra appeal to your feelings. These days, as the number of blind date are growing in the world of Internet; the chances of heartbreaks are equally high. But, blind date is really important to bring the virtuality of Internet Dating into reality.

I Could Stay Lost In This Moment Forever

There are people who do not want to carry on the online relationship and for them, the blind date remains an affair to remember, a moment to be cherished forever. For such people also, blind date has its own charm. For the persons living in moments, blind date is like an adventure. You surely cannot ignore the charm of the guesswork you make before going to meet someone. But blind date has such power that it can change your momentary adventure into a life-long affair.

Tips For Blind Date

If you are a boy, take the initiative. Do not ask for your girl to take control and ask her out for a blind date. It proves your masculinity, which will surely attract the girl towards you. Be the first one in every move you two make, be it a dance together or a passionate kiss. All these will ultimately count at the end of the day.

Planning is must for the date. You never know your blind date at a quiet restaurant may end up in a loud party at a disc. So, always plan ahead.

Be yourself. Always remember most of the people do not like pretensions. Do not show off just to impress your date, as it may create a negative image. Do not try to impress the other with your career or bank balance. Maintain a limit and decency.

Be a good listener. Just try to listen what the others have to say about his/her family. Let the other speak first. Then only, you can tell about yourself to the other. And be cautious while selecting words. A slip of tongue can create lots of problems. Remember, it is the conversations that will decide the fate of the date.

If you are going for a date with a girl, always make her the center of attention, as this is a universal truth that girls like to be attended like a princess. Do not take your eyes off from her as long as you are with her. Girls cherish the attention that you are showering.

Do not ask so many questions that can embarrass your date, because, curiosity kills the cat. On the very first date, just listen and if necessary, ask general, not too much personal questions.

Always get prepared for everything and plan a way to escape. Never expect the best. Get ready for the worst and think of a decent way to escape the date without hurting the other. Your date may turn out to be one of those types you hate to be with. Or, this can be the beginning of a life long association.

Kelly Wolf wonders:


Aside from the amusing stories we hear or see from the entertainment industry, many people often wonder if blind dates really work. Although I don’t have an answer that is loaded down with statistics and polls, I offer something different- a common sense point of view.

Most of us meet many potential mates through friends at parties, clubs, restaurants and various other places. It seems to be the natural progression of human nature. We are friends with someone because we both have qualities that appeal to the other. They have other friends for the same exact reason. It seems to be a logical assumption that a ‘friend of a friend’ would be a wise choice to consider dating. The same would apply to a blind date- a ‘friend of a friend’ whom we haven’t met yet through chance.

Friends and family are the most likely to attempt the blind date for a single person. Those who know us best always seem to approach the blind date proposal with something like, “You know who would be perfect for you?” It’s a great start for a single person to find a partner. As far as what we like and are attracted to in a friend can definitely be found this way.

The downside to this process is one that can be the most frustrating. No one can interpret ‘chemistry’ between two people on any level except for the individuals themselves. Friends or family can make a guess based on who you have dated in the past, but there is no clear definition of what any one of us finds as far as the ultimate attraction.

When you walk into a bar or club, you know what is appealing to you. You are aware of the ‘hottie’ you’ve made eye contact with since the minute you walked in the room. Unfortunately after speaking with him or her, you might find that initial attraction has dissolved in their poor grammar, immature attitude or cheesy pick up lines.

Let’s face it- it’s not as easy as people think to meet your mate or even someone with which you can have a lasting relationship. Online dating is convenient and sometimes even fun, but it is time consuming to make sure the person you are connecting with online is honest and up front about who they are and what they want. You can easily find physical attraction just about anywhere. Finding that physical attraction with a matching personality is the tricky part.

To sum up this deliberation- yes, blind dates really work. I’m in a relationship resulting from a blind date. I chose to listen to friend’s suggestions and go out with some blind dates that offered no physical appeal to me to find the right person, but we could at least chat about our common acquaintances and feel relatively safe while we were together. I also knew that they were looking for something similar to what I was looking for.

But so many other people have simply been in the right place at the right time to meet their partners. Is one way of meeting people better than another? Maybe not, but if you want a way to meet where both parties are more likely to be on the same page and a level of comfort can be felt due to mutual acquaintances, blind dates just might work for you

Steve wonders:


OK so you’ve been doing the Online dating thing for a while, you’ve posted your profile, and you’ve sent out a few winks, you’ve made a connection. Great. You’ve been e-mailing back and forth and now think, OK this is a person a may want to meet. What now?

There are several things to keep in mind while planning that first meeting with someone you have met online. While Online matchmaking especially when using a well-respected service like True or Match.com, is generally considered safe; there are still some precautions you should take to ensure not only that you have a great date, but your personal safety. And don’t think that it us only women that need to be concerned about safety issues and online dating. Cyberspace is a breeding ground for scammers and con-artists of both sexes. There has been many a guy who has been taken for a ride literally and figuratively, by an unscrupulous “Fem Fatale” they met online. Ideally, being able to talk face-to-face via webcam such as using online speed dating and blind date service provided by 15minuteDate.com will weed out predators and encourage members to be more realistic about who they are.

As we talk about safety issues, please don’t get the impression that the Online matchmaking world is filled with vampires or other unsavory types looking for a bite or worse – seriously; most of the time you will be taking precautions that turn out to be unnecessary but it always sensible to err on the side of caution. Before considering meeting in person the next step should be to exchange phone numbers, if someone is hesitant about giving you their number, refuses or will only give you a work number, you should think twice about meeting this person. On the other hand be cautious about giving your home number, because it is possible for people to do reverse searches and find your address from you phone number, for this reason it may be better to only give your cell number. Talk a few times on the phone –see if the connection you thought was there follows in open conversation as it was in text and e-mails. After a few phone conversations you should be able to tell if this person does not “sound” like the type of person you thought they were when you were communicating online. If something doesn’t feel right to you, go with your guts and move on, but if you feel that this is someone you really want to meet, set up the meeting, after all while having online relationships can be a fun social interaction, meeting someone and possibly forming a real relationship is what most of us signed up for.

It is absolutely normal to feel nervous about meeting for the first time, but remember relax; this is not a 100% “blind date” since you already know this person – to a point. Still, definitely set up the meeting in a public place. There is very little chance that something untoward can happen in a public restaurant or café. If it does turn out that the person was not what you expected, you can always leave securely from a public place. As will most likely be the case, if all goes well you can select a somewhat more intimate setting for the next meeting. A partner that is looking for the same kind of relationship that you are will respect your desire to move things along slowly.

While it is unlikely that anything unpleasant will occur – you can wind up just having a bad date. Not to worry, if you meet IRL and do not connect, there is no shame – you still have your membership and your profile up and working, and there will likely be dozens of other e-mails in you inbox to respond to when you get home – and one of them may just be the love of your life. It is just like a speed dating session. In speed dating you just keep moving to the next person and eventually you find the one you are looking for. That is the great thing about Online Dating. And now you already have taken the first step in knowing how to deal with moving from online dating to the real world, so the next IRL date with the next person will be that much easier. On the other hand, if it goes great – congratulations! You can now be excited and relieved that all the time you took to make sure this person was everything you hoped they’d be has paid off.