If you have decided to satisfy your curiosity by joining an online chat room, you should first be made aware of appropriate conduct that will benefit you and allow you to build on your social options – which is probably why you have decided to join a chat room in the first place. Take a look at our suggestions and become successful at online chat!

First of all it’s important to get off on the right foot with your new online acquaintances – so be nice to everyone. Online dating and chat rooms are a community whereby you earn a reputation, so getting off on the right note is important. Don’t be argumentative, be pleasant and polite.

Every online dating site has different rules and conditions of entry so brief yourself before you join. Once you have joined one of the chat rooms, try sitting on the side line for a while and just watch the conversations. It’s a good idea to become comfortable with the vibe of the conversation instead of just rushing in.

There is an annoying behavior among chat room pests called scrolling. Scrolling occurs when someone repeats a block of words constantly making the page scroll quickly. This practice is one of the most frowned upon actions someone can do whilst chatting and will probably see you kicked out of the chat rooms all together.

Flaming is another very anti social practice that is often carried out by some members. When someone flames a chat room they would normally attack a certain person or the whole room in general which would include insults and disruptive behaviour designed to upset the tone of the chat session.

Avoid trying to be the main attraction in a chat room. Just be yourself and let the others see you for who you are. It’s a good idea to start off making friends and to let any potential romance develop on its own accord. This approach will earn you an online reputation as a genuine person rather than a sex starved love rat which will truly benefit your long term online social prospects.

Most chat room services provide their members with a private chat function. If you do send someone a private chat invitation and they don’t reply, chances are you’re not being ignored, they are probably busy chatting to someone else or may have other multiple chat invitations from other people. The more you use your chat rooms service the more other singles will become familiar to seeing you, so if someone doesn’t respond to a private chat invitation, try again when they are online next – but don’t be pushy – know when to move on.

Don’t be too quick to trust someone you meet in an online chat room. Some people will stretch the truth in their online dating chat profile in order to portray a certain message or image. People often lie about their age or gender, so don’t assume everything you read is 100% true. You need to establish trust by engaging a person in an online chat many times and finding out more about them outside of their profile.

Be aware that every time you type something in a chat room that it has the potential to become a permanent record and that anyone can store that information for their personal means. So never EVER casually type any personal details about you or your family in a public chat room. This refers to anything from phone numbers, addresses, work details, car make and model or family members private details.

Chat rooms are a combination of people who are genuine, sometimes genuine and down right deceptive. Once you are confident you are communicating with a genuine person, be careful not to be lulled into the false sense of security – “instant intimacy” Singles who meet in chat rooms and develop a romantic connection are more susceptible to trusting another person far quicker than a real life introduction. Take the time to know this person properly to make sure they are the same person that is behind their computer screen.

Your personal safety should be your first and foremost priority so if someone you have just met in a chat room is trying to send you something at home or work and is pushing for personal information, we suggest you cease any contact with that person and block them from contacting you again.

Darwin is the stepping stone from Australia to Asia. Darwin is also considered a stepping stone to the Top End, including significant landmarks such as Katherine Gorge, Kakadu National Park, Arnhem Land, and Litchfield National Park. Darwin is the capital of the Northern Territory of Australia, but is closer in distance to Jakarta and Singapore, than Sydney and Melbourne respectively. Architecturally, Darwin is a very modern city, after being totally rebuilt after the destruction of Cyclone Tracy in 1974. Darwin is extremely diverse with its multiculturalism, primarily due to its proximity to Asian countries.
The dusty outback town has been reinvented into a cosmopolitan centre There are plenty of restaurants of all price ranges in Darwin.Darwin’s most eclectic eateries are great choices for that first date.
You have found a match online dating, now hook up and have some fun Exquisite Surrounds: Garam Masala, Darwin Central Hotel, Knuckey St, Darwin, has the ultimate in romantic atmosphere. Sheer red curtains, and the elaborate use of orange gives this restaurant plenty of romantic appeal. Candles, soft lighting and music all add to the romance. There are even cushions at the back of the restaurant that you can choose to eat from, perhaps an excuse for a cuddle if the evening is going well? Indian food combined with the ultimate in exotic romance. Monsoons, Mitchell St, Darwin, has converted the old cinema building into a funky spot featuring cocktails and decor inspired by the Middle East. Live music and great service are combined with a menu featuring East meeting West. Buzz Cafe, Slip Way, Cullen Bay, Larrakeyah, offers dining inside and out. Fantastic views of the water and vessels, as you are situated right on top of them. Great food, great wine, great daiquiris, great fun. Pee Wee’s at the Point, East Point Nature Reserve, features an all glass front enabling glorious sunset views over Fannie Bay and Darwin city with native wildlife in evidence. This restaurant offers tropical Australian cuisine, while situated within the palm trees.
A statement restaurant. Cheap Eateries in Darwin: There are plenty of less expensive restaurants to eat at in Darwin. For a sit down meal that is cheap why not try one of these? Boardwalk Cafe, Marina Blvd, Larrakeyah, is a great venue for those on a budget. These savvy owners have split the menu into various pricings. There is also a bottle shop on the premises which doesn’t charge the earth for a drink. The menu contains a lot of seafood. Have yourself a generous affordable meal, a cheap drink, and enjoy the view of the marina. This place has it all for the budget conscious. Thailicious, Mitchell St, Darwin, has plenty of atmosphere with its open air surrounds, brightly coloured silk wall hangings and Thai wall carvings as decorations. Modern Thai food eaten off floor cushions and accompanied by a fresh breeze. Rendezvous Cafe, the Mall, Smith St, Darwin, is a South Eastern cafe with a very unassuming exterior. Although the decor could do with a bit of an update, the food is superb. There are cosy little booths that you and your date can sit in. There are also a few tables outside in a courtyard. This is a cafe where the food more than compensates for the somewhat tired appearance. Online dating in Darwin, Australia, could not be any simpler.

Darwin is the stepping stone from Australia to Asia. Darwin is also considered a stepping stone to the Top End, including significant landmarks such as Katherine Gorge, Kakadu National Park, Arnhem Land, and Litchfield National Park. Darwin is the capital of the Northern Territory of Australia, but is closer in distance to Jakarta and Singapore, than Sydney and Melbourne respectively. Architecturally, Darwin is a very modern city, after being totally rebuilt after the destruction of Cyclone Tracy in 1974. Darwin is extremely diverse with its multiculturalism, primarily due to its proximity to Asian countries.
The dusty outback town has been reinvented into a cosmopolitan centre There are plenty of restaurants of all price ranges in Darwin.Darwin’s most eclectic eateries are great choices for that first date.
You have found a match online dating, now hook up and have some fun Exquisite Surrounds: Garam Masala, Darwin Central Hotel, Knuckey St, Darwin, has the ultimate in romantic atmosphere. Sheer red curtains, and the elaborate use of orange gives this restaurant plenty of romantic appeal. Candles, soft lighting and music all add to the romance. There are even cushions at the back of the restaurant that you can choose to eat from, perhaps an excuse for a cuddle if the evening is going well? Indian food combined with the ultimate in exotic romance. Monsoons, Mitchell St, Darwin, has converted the old cinema building into a funky spot featuring cocktails and decor inspired by the Middle East. Live music and great service are combined with a menu featuring East meeting West. Buzz Cafe, Slip Way, Cullen Bay, Larrakeyah, offers dining inside and out. Fantastic views of the water and vessels, as you are situated right on top of them. Great food, great wine, great daiquiris, great fun. Pee Wee’s at the Point, East Point Nature Reserve, features an all glass front enabling glorious sunset views over Fannie Bay and Darwin city with native wildlife in evidence. This restaurant offers tropical Australian cuisine, while situated within the palm trees.
A statement restaurant. Cheap Eateries in Darwin: There are plenty of less expensive restaurants to eat at in Darwin. For a sit down meal that is cheap why not try one of these? Boardwalk Cafe, Marina Blvd, Larrakeyah, is a great venue for those on a budget. These savvy owners have split the menu into various pricings. There is also a bottle shop on the premises which doesn’t charge the earth for a drink. The menu contains a lot of seafood. Have yourself a generous affordable meal, a cheap drink, and enjoy the view of the marina. This place has it all for the budget conscious. Thailicious, Mitchell St, Darwin, has plenty of atmosphere with its open air surrounds, brightly coloured silk wall hangings and Thai wall carvings as decorations. Modern Thai food eaten off floor cushions and accompanied by a fresh breeze. Rendezvous Cafe, the Mall, Smith St, Darwin, is a South Eastern cafe with a very unassuming exterior. Although the decor could do with a bit of an update, the food is superb. There are cosy little booths that you and your date can sit in. There are also a few tables outside in a courtyard. This is a cafe where the food more than compensates for the somewhat tired appearance. Online dating in Darwin, Australia, could not be any simpler.

Perth is the capital of Western Australia and is situated between an ocean and a desert. Perth is a well planned out city, and due to its fabulous summer weather has a lot of outdoor activities. The beaches running along the coastline of Perth are superbly beautiful. Perth’s river is the Swan, and it is along this stretch of water that the fabulously wealthy have built their homes. Perth has many beautiful bike tracks, outdoor parks and an enormous selection of restaurants to choose from.
Hooking up with someone that you fancy from your online dating can be nerve wracking enough. Here is a compiled a list of fabulous restaurants for the couple embarking on their first date. This guide will provide you with some restaurants for the wealthy entrepreneurs and some less expensive eateries for the rest of us who work for those entrepreneurs.
Fabulously Expensive:
For those with some serious cash to splash around on that first date there are many great restaurants to select from. Many are positioned in glorious water front positions or are conveniently located in the Perth City centre, where there are many post dinner venues to choose from.
The Matilda Bay Restaurant in Crawley has the distinction of being one of Perth’s most expensive restaurants. This restaurant underwent recent refurbishments, and at the time of writing had a policy of a $50 minimum charge per person. This restaurant offers superb vistas of both the Swan River and the skyline of Perth city.
Zafferano’s, also in Crawley is also considered to be one of the most expensive eateries in Perth. This Italian restaurant is on the Swan River at the Old Brewery site. This restaurant is famed for its ambiance and friendly staff, which extends to parking your vehicle for you when the parking situation is grim. Are you happy to give the keys to your Porsche to the wait staff?
Atrium Garden Restaurant, Esplanade Hotel, Fremantle. This is a fantastic location in the beautifully restored Esplanade Hotel. This restaurant features a great combination of fine dining with the atmosphere of dining in an old fashioned glass house. For those who don’t mind the 20 km drive out of Perth, this is a fantastic choice. Very romantic.
Position, position, position:
The Indiana (sometimes known as the Indiana Tea House) is a glorious colonial inspired building located right on the sand at Cottesloe Beach. This restaurant resembles a cross between a converted bathing house and an Asian colonial building. This restaurant has plenty of atmosphere and is a splendid choice for lunch or sunset drinks for those wanting to optimize the stunning beach views.
Fabulously Inexpensive:
For those who are going to catch up after a chat on online dating who can’t or don’t want to spend lots of cash, we have also found some cheap and cheerful eateries. You don’t have to spend a fortune on a first date to capture someone’s interest.
The Red Tea Pot in William St Perth, is a fantastic example of the new eateries popping up that feature a new standard of genuine Asian cuisine that is wonderfully fresh. Cicerello’s Fish and Chips at the Fremantle Fishing Harbour takes the old fish and chips to a whole new level. Why not take a drive to Fremantle, have a drink and then eat some fish and chips on the wharf? Monte Fiore Cafe Restaurant in Beaufort St Mt Lawley, has a very friendly and laid back atmosphere. The menu here features inexpensive Mediterranean and Italian.
Hooking up in Perth can be painlessly easy using this helpful guide on where to eat on your first date.

Many younger girls dream of their imaginary Prince , with castles in the sky. As they begin their teen and young adult lives, this dream gets scaled down a little, from a Prince to maybe a single millionaire with a beautiful mansion in a swanky suburb, a condominium in Paris, also a beach home in California.

   Usually, most female singles are content to settle down with a great man with a steady job who treats them with respect and love. But what about those female singles who still want to play out their dreams? How do they set about making their dreams a reality? The upshot of the situation is Prince Charming wont generally fall out of a tree, secondly the rich investment banker is not usually inclined to fall head over heels in love with the check out chick at the supermarket and sweep her away to a life of riches.

   How do female singles land a Mr. Charming?It requires work, girls! If you want to tap into dating and chatting to wealthy men and you want it bad enough, you need to be prepared to work for it. Here is some advice to help you start:

   • Location is a starting point! If you’re having your lunch at McDonalds each day, you’re not likely to bump into the guys with the fat wallets. Even if you do, normally they are only there as they’re in a hurry, and they are not perusing the menu. Give the cheap take outs and dingy cafes a miss and upscale, dear! Visit a restaurant or up market coffee shop in the central business district, shop at a gourmet grocery outlet, go for a stroll in an upscale neighborhood. These rich male singles won’t come to you, you need to go where they are!

• Take up golf or tennis. These are regular pastimes for wealthy male singles on the upper end of the income scale, and often a love match has been formed over a match of mixed doubles.

• Volunteer for charity outings. You can discover which guests are attending and socialize with the nobs.

• Many wealthy male singles are car buffs, and particularly fancy vintage cars. It may perhaps be worth your while to research antique automobiles and attend some shows.

• Consider relocating. The small unit or apartment in a well-to-do area is superior than the most grand home in a lower class neighborhood, when it comes to  rubbing shoulders with a wealthier group of people or rich male singles. Odds on that you will not meet and chat to wealthy singles in the common area of your low rent home, although who knows who you could meet and chat to in the elevator to your one bedroom apartment in that big trendy high rise?

• Changing your own work status is a great way to meet wealthy male singles, also. Stay away from jobs that do require you to wear uniforms, as this puts an obvious class distinction line between you and the wealthy male singles you want to chat to. You could find it worth the effort to go into a new field completely, such as a real estate sales position.

• Volunteer with high society charity do’s. This allows you access to guest and seating arrangements, and more importantly, a free invitation to the actual event, where you can chat to all sorts of male singles you want to get to know.

If you do not have any cash resources that will not allow you to take up some of the options discussed in the article,an online dating service is also an excellent way to meet and chat with wealthy male singles. www.hookmeup.com.au is a free online dating service that offers free dating and chat rooms, other online dating services specifically cater for rich male singles seeking a beautiful mistress or partner.  

Will you be happy with a rich man ? This is really up to you both. It’s been said often, “It’s as easy to marry a rich man as a poor man,” but the best advice of the lot is to marry the man who makes you the happiest, regardless of the amount in his bank account. If you marry for love as your first priority, you will receive the riches of your wildest dreams, if they happen to be rich, then count that as a bonus.

Many younger girls dream of their imaginary Prince , with castles in the sky. As they begin their teen and young adult lives, this dream gets scaled down a little, from a Prince to maybe a single millionaire with a beautiful mansion in a swanky suburb, a condominium in Paris, also a beach home in California.

   Usually, most female singles are content to settle down with a great man with a steady job who treats them with respect and love. But what about those female singles who still want to play out their dreams? How do they set about making their dreams a reality? The upshot of the situation is Prince Charming wont generally fall out of a tree, secondly the rich investment banker is not usually inclined to fall head over heels in love with the check out chick at the supermarket and sweep her away to a life of riches.

   How do female singles land a Mr. Charming?It requires work, girls! If you want to tap into dating and chatting to wealthy men and you want it bad enough, you need to be prepared to work for it. Here is some advice to help you start:

   • Location is a starting point! If you’re having your lunch at McDonalds each day, you’re not likely to bump into the guys with the fat wallets. Even if you do, normally they are only there as they’re in a hurry, and they are not perusing the menu. Give the cheap take outs and dingy cafes a miss and upscale, dear! Visit a restaurant or up market coffee shop in the central business district, shop at a gourmet grocery outlet, go for a stroll in an upscale neighborhood. These rich male singles won’t come to you, you need to go where they are!

• Take up golf or tennis. These are regular pastimes for wealthy male singles on the upper end of the income scale, and often a love match has been formed over a match of mixed doubles.

• Volunteer for charity outings. You can discover which guests are attending and socialize with the nobs.

• Many wealthy male singles are car buffs, and particularly fancy vintage cars. It may perhaps be worth your while to research antique automobiles and attend some shows.

• Consider relocating. The small unit or apartment in a well-to-do area is superior than the most grand home in a lower class neighborhood, when it comes to  rubbing shoulders with a wealthier group of people or rich male singles. Odds on that you will not meet and chat to wealthy singles in the common area of your low rent home, although who knows who you could meet and chat to in the elevator to your one bedroom apartment in that big trendy high rise?

• Changing your own work status is a great way to meet wealthy male singles, also. Stay away from jobs that do require you to wear uniforms, as this puts an obvious class distinction line between you and the wealthy male singles you want to chat to. You could find it worth the effort to go into a new field completely, such as a real estate sales position.

• Volunteer with high society charity do’s. This allows you access to guest and seating arrangements, and more importantly, a free invitation to the actual event, where you can chat to all sorts of male singles you want to get to know.

If you do not have any cash resources that will not allow you to take up some of the options discussed in the article,an online dating service is also an excellent way to meet and chat with wealthy male singles. www.hookmeup.com.au is a free online dating service that offers free dating and chat rooms, other online dating services specifically cater for rich male singles seeking a beautiful mistress or partner.  

Will you be happy with a rich man ? This is really up to you both. It’s been said often, “It’s as easy to marry a rich man as a poor man,” but the best advice of the lot is to marry the man who makes you the happiest, regardless of the amount in his bank account. If you marry for love as your first priority, you will receive the riches of your wildest dreams, if they happen to be rich, then count that as a bonus.

http://www.hookmeup.com.au  Free Online Dating service and Chat Rooms for Singles Australia Internet Dating

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Online Dating Site hookmeup offers advice on writing your online dating profile

Ever wondered why some of your single friends seem to get more matches through online dating than you? (We’re not talking about your friends who physically resemble Brad and Angelina here.) You are all of a similar standard in the looks department, but some of them just keep getting the matches. Perhaps you need to overhaul your online dating profile. Check these tips below to ensure that your online dating profile is as good as it can be:

Sell yourself up. You should never forget that your online dating profile is pretty much an advertisement for yourself. There is no point downplaying your attributes. Demonstrate your best features in a positive light. Would you purchase a car that had an uninspiring ad?

Show individuality. Don’t be afraid to stand out from the rest of the online dating singles. People get bored reading the same descriptions over and over. Make an effort to give different answers to others. Bland and safe answers are boring answers and you will not catch any one’s attention by playing it safe.

Select an appropriate name. This is a really important point that many singles overlook when online dating. Single guys should note that girls do not think that any kind of dating name that has overly sexual connotations is clever or appealing. Everyone gets the names with 69 in them, no they are not clever, and most girls find them a turn off. If you can’t think of anything original, or everything you can think of is taken, opt for your porn star name. Your porn star name is the name of your first pet and the name of your first street that you lived in. Play around with those name combinations until you find something you like.

Display a photo. Surveys show over and over that other singles will not date you if they cannot see what you look like. This makes sense since approximately 90% of initial attraction is based upon appearances. Other online dating singles want to see what you look like now, not 10 years and 10 kilos ago. Ensure that your online photo is as flattering as it can be. If you have great features make sure that they are well displayed in the photo.

Be honest. There is no point lying about your age and your hobbies. You are only wasting your time and everyone else’s. Be honest about what sort of relationship you are seeking. There are plenty of singles in online dating for all types of encounters. If you are not interested in long term relationships tick one of the other boxes. Being honest on your profile gives you a much higher chance of finding someone that you are genuinely going to have things in common with.

Don’t appear desperate. You may be desperate and dateless. You may feel that you are hopeless. You may have been single for a while. However, your online dating profile is no place to display those thoughts. No one likes misery. The more desperate you appear, the less singles you will attract. The trick to online dating is to appear happy and carefree.

Spend some time and thought on your online dating profile. Your online dating profile is definitely not the place for ‘near enough is good enough’. Your online dating profile is the equivalent of you walking into a singles club. Would you go there looking less than your best? Eye catching online dating profiles do grab the attention of online dating singles. Overhaul your profile now.

Cairns is about 1700 km (1057 miles) north of Brisbane in Far North Queensland, Australia. Cairns is considered by many as a stepping stone to the Great Barrier Reef, Cape Tribulation and the Atherton Tableland. The gorgeous town of Port Douglas is another 30 miles north. Cairns is a popular tourist destination for travellers of all budgets. Cairns has a population that is fairly transient in nature, and as such, many institutions, including restaurants, are aimed at the one off visitor.
OK, so you have been on chat with your online dating potential romance. Now you have planned to hook up. Where to go for a meal? Well, if you are one of those lucky people based in Cairns there are about 200 restaurants for you to choose from. We have trawled through the multitudes to present you with a short list of fine (probably expensive), different (novel), and good value eateries.
Fine Dining in Cairns:
Oliver’s Australian Fine Cuisine, Abbott St, Cairns, is a truly romantic and elegant eatery. Their award winning chef combines Aboriginal traditional food stuffs with modern Asian and European cuisine. Tamarind Restaurant, Sofitel Reef Casino, Wharf St, Cairns, requires an advance booking to ensure a table. This fine restaurant is considered to be truly elegant and additionally, intimate in atmosphere. The menu is a meeting of the best of both East and West cuisine. The Sebel Reef House, Williams Esplanade, Palm Cove, has been for many years considered one of the most elegant restaurants in the area. This restaurant has it all: food, service and location, all of them exquisite. Far Horizon’s Restaurant, Veivers Rd, Palm Cove, is an award winning restaurant that combines a true beach front location with exquisite cuisine. Very romantic.
Unusual Restaurants in Cairns:
For those diners looking for something a little different, we thought these three eateries were worthy of a mention due to their individuality. No ho-hum with these restaurants! Atriums, Holiday Inn, the Esplanade, Cairns overlooks a rain forest atrium featuring a stream with barramundi. The menu features contemporary Australian and seafood, both in buffet style and a la carte. The new Casa de Meze, the Esplanade, Cairns, will provide you with a meal and a salsa dancing display. This restaurant features steak, seafood and pasta, and on Saturday nights you can have a free salsa lesson. This restaurant is quite noisy, but offers lots of fun. Perrottas at the Gallery, the Regional Gallery, Cairns, has a contemporary Italian/ Mediterranean menu. This restaurant has a fantastic location, and believe it or not, is the only real all outdoors eatery in Cairns.
Cheap Eats in Cairns:
Due to the plethora of backpackers in Cairns, there is no shortage of cheap restaurants. Many cheap eateries are however, attached to backpacking hostels. Where to go for an inexpensive meal that might still offer some atmosphere? The Banana Leaf, the Esplanade, Cairns is situated in a fantastic location opposite the lagoon. Their menu features very reasonably priced modern Asian cuisine. Istanbul Turkish Cuisine, Shields St, Cairns, features authentic Turkish food at inexpensive prices. This affordable restaurant is very welcoming and has a lovely cosy atmosphere which is ideal for couples. Marinades, Spence St, Cairns, has extremely helpful staff, and is a fun restaurant with a very affordable and authentic Indian menu.
Online dating and hooking up in Cairns has never been so easy. With the help of this article you can ensure that your first date will go just that much more smoothly.

These days, more and more singles are finding their perfect mate on the Internet via online dating – and a few unlucky ones are finding their perfect online dating sob story! The Internet is a faceless communications medium in which any person can be anything they claim to be. This makes it easy for the liars to fool their way into your head and into your heart – but it can also make for the beginnings of a very strong relationship. Online dating allows you to get to know each other more deeply than just a casual meeting at a bus stop before committing to a meeting. How do you determine whether you’ve caught a keeper or a throw-me-back?

So think you’ve found a perfect bloke!

You’ve been hanging about in your favourite online dating chat room, and just last week this new guy came in. His nickname is RussellCrowe, which set your heart a-thumping the minute you saw it, and of course you had to talk with him. “You’re not REALLY Russell, are you? No? Do you look like him?” He answers in the negative to both, telling you that he looks better than Crowe, actually. He’s a Sydney barrister, with offices in the CBD. And you’re off and running.

Over the course of a few days you spend ten or twelve hours chatting with him online. You feel like you can tell this man anything, and he seems to be telling you all of the deeper thoughts and feelings he has. How do you know he’s for real? Here are a few ways to find out.

What does he look like?

For starters, always ask for pictures. That is pictures, plural. Why?

A philanderer may have found a generic photograph of some suitable bloke on the web and downloaded it to call his own. It is unlikely that they will have more than one photo to share with you if this is the case. In this modern era of inexpensive digital cameras and high speed connections for uploading images to online dating sites quickly, there is almost no reason for a person not to have three, four, a half-dozen photographs of themselves doing various things, from sitting in their lounge to hoisting a schooner at the hotel and back again. If you’re presented with pictures that were clearly taken all at one sitting, and moreso, if they appear to be professional sorts of images, this should raise a warning bell. If he looks like he’s perfect in the pictures, this too, should raise the alarms. Real people don’t tend to be flawless.

What are his interests?

Does the fellow seem to be interested in everything that you are? Or does he have any interests that you don’t share? If he’s just involved in the things that you mention first, ask him what else he enjoys. An answer of “Oh, you know, this and that! Let’s talk more about YOU!” is really not what you are looking for. A real human being has strong likes and dislikes of his own, and is generally willing to share them, sometimes in too much detail.

Do you have friends in common?

You both live in Sydney or its environs, and you both chat in the Sydney chat room on hook me up your favourite website. It’s an odds on bet that you’ve got at least one or two online dating friends in common, if not in offline life, then online. Talk to your common friends and ask them about this man. Be prepared to be surprised, but hope for a good report.

Is he consistent?

The number of fakers who are caught through simple inconsistencies is amazing. If he tells you on Monday that he’s a big fan of Cold Chisel, but then on Friday he doesn’t recognize the lyrics to “When the War is Over”, you may have a problem there. If he tells you that he’s a big Star Wars fan, but doesn’t know which planet Luke Skywalker was from, you should probably be wary. If, on the other hand, he tells you every detail of Luke’s life, and knows how his face got mangled in real life, he’ll be apples, mate!

Is he willing to let you ring him?

If a guy you meet online is unwilling to give you his home telephone number, this could be a sign that he’s got a reason he doesn’t want calls at home – for example, he’s married or living with somebody. This is not certain, as, for example, some people these days only have mobile phones, and others may be concerned about giving out personal contact information to a total stranger from the Internet. Online dating can be a bit of a challenge for both daters

The show-down!

Of course, nothing will guarantee that this person is everything that they claim to be, except for meeting them in person and really getting to know them. This hold for the world of online dating and chance meetings.

The first few dates should be conducted with some amount of safety precautions, as once again, this is a stranger you are meeting. Just as you wouldn’t want to go off alone with a stranger you’ve just met at a pub, you want to ensure maximum safety with somebody you’ve just met online.

Meet in a well frequented place, for example, under the dome at the QVB.

Bring a friend, and suggest that he bring one as well if you mention this in advance. If you can’t bring a friend for whatever reason, make sure that at least three friends know where you are going and why you are going there. Arrange check-in times to ring them up and let them know that all is well. Also ask them to call you at least once so you can escape if you are on a date with Mr Creepy

Don’t bring a person you’ve just met to your home, nor should you go to theirs. Save that for when you know each other better.

Recap

The simple fact is that most of the people you meet online will be pretty much what they present themselves as, but there’s always one bad apple in every barrel. By checking for consistency, believability, and keeping basic safety in your thoughts without being paranoid, you could end up meeting the person you will marry one day. Anybody who doesn’t feel that expecting these things from a potential date or mate is probably not somebody you want to seriously consider spending much time with, either online or off.

Happy dating!

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