Here's my story on this.. as I am one who met my husband through the internet. My first year of college, I experienced the internet big time, for the first time. I got into some heavy chatting, though not for the purpose of looking for someone special though. It was just for fun. My best friend at the time got hooked on it, and so together we stayed on campus pretty late to use the computers.

I met my husband as friend. I chatted with him when we were online at the same time. We weren't talking about anything serious, just fun humorous things. About 4-5 months later, we started making "online" dates and scheduled being online at the same time. By that time we started talking about families, interests.. deeper things to get to know someone. Another few months and we started sending each other snail mails. It was another great way to get to know each other.  Another couple of months went by and we decided to talk on the phone. The first conversation lasted 4 hours, if you could believe it. It got quite expensive since after that first conversation, we wanted to talk more. Mind you, we were both in the U.S., just different states.  We got into conversations that "dating" people don't normally talk about -- like life, religion, our views on marriage, kids, families.. etc. We finally decided to meet a year and a half after all this begun and got engaged pretty soon afterwards. We have now been married for what will be 10 years in a couple of months.

It's not all bad, as online chatting afford you anonimity to a certain extent. People open up more easily. But on the other hand, you do have to be careful. Perhaps a PO BOX would be in order if you want to correspond through snail mail.

Anyway. Don't give up. But I agree.. just let things be. Things may happen if you don't expect it.

I havent met anyone "good" online yet. I have found the down side of any kind of dating - incl. online dating - is that people will tell you what ever they want to - even untrue - they make themselves to be something they are completely not - thus leading you up for a big fall - I met this guy right - we got along really well - said he was a sucessful lawyer - turns out he is a very smart 16 yr old. I couldnt believe it when he told me. Of course I stopped communicating with him.

Another story -  i gave out my address "DOH" idiot arent i! - was talking with a man for a few months - he said he wanted to send me something for my bday -  stupid me - gave him address - i was fighting it at first and then gave in - he sent me yellow roses (my fave - another peice of imformation i gave out so willingly) everyday for a week - we're talkin 24 yellow roses everyday for 7days - psycho!!! Nice guys dont suck up with roses - nice genuine guys dont need to do that. 

So - im gonna bite my tongue and reverse what I have said about online dating - its all a hoax - Ive had heaps more bad experiences in the past year with online dating then I have had meeting people in person in the real world,in my whole life.

Im just gonna be patient and not force this major event. Im not afraid anymore of being alone - cos I am happy within myself and I know my time will come for happiness that will find with the one - the only - penguin of my life!

(i think i better stop reading my danielle steel / mills & boon books - they paint a picture that is not real and it is very easy to get carried away with the fantasy life they portray in their stories - cos that is all they are my minti friends - ficticous stories!)

I second your love of online chatting.  I think it's awesome to meet new people from all over and when you've had enough/want some privacy you just switch the computer off.

I feel that I am able to speak more freely on the internet too - say what I really mean and open up more because there's a sense of security sitting behind a monitor, as opposed to face-to-face...

you'll have to keep us updated and let us know if you meet someone!!  :D

huggles,

Stormxx