Website for this image

 

 

While at our favorite neighborhood bar Lolita Bar, we decided to jot down a list of do's and don'ts in the internet dating world. They are as follows:

 

1.     Don’t give it all away.

No. I am not telling you not to take your new friend to bed.  That is your decision.  I am talking about the dangerous realm of TMI.

 

Take note, because this actually happened to me.  I had an Internet date set for Saturday.  During the week, my date sent the following text messages:

 

“How is your day going?”

 

“What is the most interesting part of your job?”

 

“What do you like to do on the weekend?”

 

If you think that those questions weren’t uncalled for, then you need to read the following:  There is nothing sexy about giving up all your information to a complete stranger that you have yet to meet in person.  Seriously.  If you give up all your information, then you will have nothing to talk about on your actual date. Remember, always save the good stuff for intimate settings.

 

2.     Don’t lie.

 “No, no, no, no, Baby. No, no, no, no, don’t lie,” says Fergie-Ferg and you should too.

 

To put this in context, a twenty-something friend of mine started dating a guy who claimed to be in his early to mid thirties.  Cut to two months later, she stumbled upon his driver’s license.  Jon Doe was 45! People like getting what they paid for and, thus, the relationship proceeded to go nowhere. Remember, the best relationships have no fine print.  

 

3.     Don’t get grandiose.

A friend went on a date with a guy that she met online and the guy brought her flowers.  Most people agree that chivalry shouldn’t be dead, but you need to give the girl a chance to feel that she has actually inspired these gestures. If she just went from a photo to real life, she is not going to be able to take these gestures seriously.  Save flowers for a follow up to a great date.  Remember, getting all worked up over a couple of texts and emails is just plain old creepy. 

 

4.     Don’t lower your standards.

This may seem obvious, but you all know that if you don’t get a response during your first couple tries, you start to reevaluate your options. But, if you wouldn’t talk to it in the bar, you seriously shouldn’t be talking to it online.  Remember, people might actually see you with that person.  EEK!

 

5.     Don’t take it too seriously.

Life is too short to take the opinions of people that don’t know you as a person seriously.  So be kind to yourself and don’t beat yourself up over anything that happens while you are Internet dating.   Remember, life is hard and awkward enough as it is.

 

Happy Dating and May the Power of the Clicker Be with You.