Relationships

Even though the success rate of online dating is something that has been proven time and time again, there are still many who think that it's not the way to go in order to find a true, committed relationship and marriage. As someone who has navigated the online dating scene and found my future husband online when I wasn't actually looking for a husband per say, I can see why some people would be skeptical. Not only did I go on my share of crappy dates over the years, but, I too was a crappy candidate seeing as how I was using online dating for research as opposed to love. But this doesn't mean that the majority of those using online dating are doing so for sinister or less-than-genuine reasons.

I've mentioned in other articles that finding love online starts with you and your willingness to open yourself up to the possibilities. I've also mentioned that you can increase your chances of finding compatible matches by focusing your search where there are others who want what you want. In the case of someone who wants to find long lasting love and ultimately marriage, there are sites that cater to you and those who think as you do. There is no shame in wanting to meet someone to marry. Granted, you should be looking for marriage with someone you love and not just the first person who comes along and is willing! Admitting that you're looking for a long lasting commitment-in spite of what Cosmo tell you!-can help you weed out the time wasters. And, the best place to come out of the looking-for-a-husband-closet is a dating site for those looking for marriage. I've found one in particular that appears to be worth trying so now all you gotta do is get on the site and get ready to say it loud and say it proud; I'm looking for a husband! The site I'm talking about is Husbands.com.

Since this site is geared specifically to marriage-minded individuals, you can browse and date to your heart's content knowing that those you meet are looking for the same. This doesn't guarantee a love connection, of course, but it is a great start that gets you in touch with others looking for the happily ever after. Husbands.com is a no fuss, no muss site dedicated to people looking for love, commitment and yes, marriage. It's a great site to join if you are looking for a husband or are a man who is ready to meet someone to be a husband to. The site is easy to use and has a strong member base and seems as respectable as you'd hope a site dedicated to finding a husband would.

A catchy little question, isn't it? Some people say they're not romantic. Others say they need more romance in their lives. I'm wondering if there's even a middle ground that equates to "just the right amount of romance."

Having been in multiple long-term relationships, I can tell you what my definition of "romance" has come to be over the years. I'm confident in the fact that it differs for everyone yet there's one key aspect that's the same across the board: communication.

In my case, romance is when my better half sneaks me a call mid-day just to tell me he loves me. It's him letting me have the last "big" chip in the bowl of chips and salsa while he takes the crumbles. Romance happens when, out of the blue and at the oddest moment, he tells me I'm beautiful. When he rolls over in the morning, kisses my neck, wraps his arms around me and falls back asleep. I can't want for those things - they just happen and they're incredibly romantic to me.

But they're all forms of communication. If you find that you're lacking "romance" in your relationships, take a look at your communication style. There's no way to be romantic if you don't express yourself. The gestures don't have to even have words - they just have to be expressed. When you're with someone who makes your heart skip a beat, you generally find yourself thinking about them at odd hours. Call them and tell them. When we lose the desire to do those small things, we start putting distance between ourselves and our partners - a sure-fire equation for relationship demise.

If you need to make more "romance," take one simple step: tell your partner how you feel or do something unexpected for them. The gesture won't go unnoticed and you just might find it feels good to be romantic!

I, as many other women do, wonder how it is that a married guy has the balls to post a profile on an online dating site and seek out women. There are the guys who outright post the fact that they are AshleyMadison.com married and looking for some fun on the side and then you have those who claim to be single and looking for love even though they are indeed married. They're the worst of the worst! I have no right to judge those who chose to stray from their marriages, but I don't take kindly to being mislead and feel for the women who get sidetracked on their quest for love by someone who tells the ultimate lie. It is for you women that I write this article.

As much as you need to open up your heart in order to find love, you also need to be on your toes and able to spot the married guys who are out there claiming to be available. The chance of being misled by a married guy claiming to be single is there whether you're looking for love online or the old fashioned way, so don't be put off. Just be aware of these telltale signs that he's married:

He asks for your contact information but doesn't share his. This is usually because he doesn't want you calling at an inopportune time-like when his wife is sitting right next to him.

He's only available during business hours. Beware the guy who can only talk or get together during business hours. Most cheaters will happily skip out for a lunch date and spend their work day on the phone or chatting with you online only to disappear in the evenings and on weekends. This is a big red flag that he's got someone else.

He always wants to go to your place and never his. This one is pretty obvious! He has a wife or girlfriend at home and can't take you there.

He whispers or talks very quietly on the phone. Yes, there are married guys who are despicable enough to call another woman while at home with their wives and to do so they have to speak quietly. Sure, once in awhile a situation may call for a hushed voice, but if it happens more than once, then move on!

His stories never seem to add up. If you're finding discrepancies in the stuff he tells you from where he's been to why he hasn't called, then move on because he's a liar. Is he married? Maybe not, but a liar is a liar and this is a huge red flag that you're being misled.

In a world where you can order you dinner, buy shoes and even plan your life online, it's not too surprising that people can also find dates online. What may surprise you, however, is the many types of dates you can find online. It seems that every day there is a new dating site popping up on the wonderful worldwide web and if this wasn't already great news, you will be especially tickled to know that each day also seems to bring a dating site that caters to a specific niche.

Long gone are the days of online dating sites where you have to pick through people looking for something on the other end of the spectrum than you. Whether it be a specific religion, body type, heritage, sexual orientation or even financial status; the internet offers something for everyone when it comes to dating online. Seriously; dating for seniors, alternative lifestyles dating, Jewish dating and even dating sites catering to those looking for "sugar daddies" and more! So, with some time spent on the right dating site, you can find love, sex, friendship or a financially satisfying relationship!

I've done a little research and thought I would list some of the online dating sites that cater to those looking for something very specific. Here's a little rundown of a few that may be of interest to you.

Through various jobs and volunteering, I've met more than my share of actors – really well-known actors, the kind that light up movie screens. Film is a funny thing; it can dramatically alter its subject. For example, some of the actors I've met are less attractive than the roles they play (I guess that movie makeup does work magic). The men always seem to be shorter than they look on-screen, and the women taller (now how does that work?). Everyone is usually much skinnier – even actresses with a reputation for being “chunky” in the tabloids are usually, I assure you, much smaller than the average person. And, perhaps most surprising of all, there are those who are much more attractive in person than on TV.

I distinctly recall one actor in particular. He was the star of a show that had failed to grab me with its first episode. The guy wasn't ugly by any means, but on TV and in his pictures he seemed somewhat generic. I had no interest in meeting him. Then, in person, his eyes seemed almost electric. He smiled and joked with me, and I swear I almost walked into a pillar. He wasn't even my type.

Hollywood is full of these blindingly attractive people. The rest of the world? Not so much. The TV shows and movies that we watch have people that are literally hand-picked from the most attractive people in the country, or even the world. Why, then, do we expect to find only those people on online dating sites, and look down our noses at anyone else?

I'm not saying we shouldn't be attracted to those we date. But attraction is so much more than straight teeth or a toned body. Also, I don't know about everyone else, but I know most of the guys I've dated have become more attractive to me as I've gotten to know them. And, of course, there's those, like that actor I mentioned, who are more attractive in person. If you only pursue people who meet strict photographic expectations – without even considering other factors like common interests – who knows what you're missing out on?

One more note: people in Hollywood look great because it's their job. They can afford to live at the gym, not to mention any number of other procedures. A regular person usually has to make many sacrifices to look perfect. Is it worth it? Or do you want to find someone happy with themselves... and you?

Using technology – specifically, the internet – for dating opens up new worlds of possibilities. Granted, every new technology brings with it new responsibilities. Those of us familiar with the world of the internet are relatively vigilant about our own safety – keeping those personal details off our profiles – but there's something else we need to do that isn't addressed as much: police our own behavior. In short, don't internet-stalk people we're interested in.

It starts innocuously: Person A emails a potential match (Person B), and they're excited about it – maybe too excited, if they're only emailing one person at a time (aim for several a week to avoid this). The online dating site this person uses tells you exactly when the object of your desire last checked in, so Person A can't help but check a few times – and when Person B finally does check in, the waiting game begins. Let's say it actually leads to a date.

After the date, Person A realizes that Person B's profile name matches their Livejournal account, so then they're scouring the entries, looking for mention of them. Now, is anything Person A has done really bad? Probably not – and probably many of us have done something similar. But now that the internet has creeped into our everyday lives, we have to redefine our boundaries. We probably wouldn't sit outside someone's house in our car, so why are we obsessing over their Facebook updates?

This is a growing problem with younger people, in particular. Teenagers have grown up with slightly different personal boundaries, and some young couples dance dangerously close to the line of abuse when they have partners who demand to know their whereabouts at all times. As adults in the dating world, we set the standard. The sooner we agree upon some sort of Internet etiquette, the better for us and for future generations.

In the meantime, however, consider the profiles of potential matches their own personal space – or their diary. You might want to read it, but good rarely comes from it. And how awkward would it be to be on a date and blurt out that you already know some story or personal tidbit? Leave the discovery to the dating.