The days of matchmaking and chaperoned dates are over. Our choices for friends and soul mates are no longer limited to people in our brick and mortar worlds, either.

And the distance is not really a question after all, because the best thing since sliced bread and Berlin Walls more than patched that up!

The door to the whole wide world is open to all of us. Walk through it. Open your mind. Explore the possibilities. Accept the challenges.

Our grandparents and great grandparents thought being able to talk to a person across the street without being face to face was an amazing thing made possible by the telephone. They accepted, even welcomed and embraced the strange new invention.

Now it's our turn.

Our turn to accept and embrace new technology and learn to use it in every way it can make our lives better. The new technology is the Internet.

It does so much to enrich our lives already.

We use "it" to shop, pay our bills, communicate with friends and family, research all things medical and financial, and even play games.

Introducing Online Dating!

Internet Dating is an idea whose time has come and it is about time we recognized it for the social tool it has become.

Online Dating services are many and varied. The cost range is great depending upon the features offered. However, the opportunities for friendships and even love abound. They are out there. You will need to put forth some effort to find them but the effort is worth it.

If you are a single person and have not yet joined the revolutionary Online Dating phenomenon, put it on the very top of your "to do" list. Find one or two that suit your needs, write a great profile, upload a nice picture and start having some fun.

You never know… the love of your life could be only a few clicks of the mouse away. Do it now don't wait another minute!

The Growing Popularity of Online Dating

The number of people participating in Online Dating, or Internet Dating, has exploded over the last few years.

Why?

There are many reasons and over 40 million people can't possibly be wrong. You can probably think of others but here are a few.

One reason is volume. There is almost a limitless supply of people online who all want the same thing… to find a date… and some who hope to find a relationship with Mr. or Miss "Right", their soul mate, the one and only love of their life.

The supply is constantly enlarging and changing as more and more people begin to use Online Dating services.

Another reason is that you can cast a wide net. You can email, chat with, and talk on the telephone to multiple possibilities. Keep the ones you like and throw the others back. If you don't find anyone on the first try, keep looking.

Avoiding the awkwardness of a first meeting is another good reason to use Online Dating.

That first meeting is always the most difficult to get past and you can get to know a person really well before you have to meet face-to-face for the first time so it isn't like meeting a stranger.

Online Dating is cost effective. All you need is an Internet connection and a membership to a reputable Online Dating service and most of them have a free trial.

For only a few dollars you can meet dozens, maybe hundreds, of people you might be interested in and all without paying for a single dinner date, movie ticket, or even a cup of coffee.

If you have not yet tried Online Dating or, as some call it, Internet Dating, you should consider giving it a try. Who knows? Mr. or Mss/Ms. Right could be only one click away.

But Does Online Dating Actually Work?

Yes, it does work! But like with everything else, there is a catch.

Millions of singles are joining, or have already joined, Online Dating sites and they can't all be wrong. So, you ask, what's the catch?

Finding that one-and-only for you takes time and effort. That's the catch. You don't just throw one line in the water and expect a miracle. It isn't that easy.

There are different Online Dating sites for every possibility. Religious preferences, single men, single women, gays, people who only want "fun" (and you know what I mean by 'fun'), people seeking marriage, and on and on.

Name anything and I'll bet there is an Online Dating service to match. So, first you must find an Online Dating site (or sites) that meet your own needs, goals and desires and that will take time.

Obviously, you wouldn't want to join a site that caters to Jews if you are Catholic and that matters to you.

You have to write a great profile and post a picture. The important thing here is to be honest. Being funny and original will make your profile stand out among thousands.

The picture needs to be as flattering as possible but it needs to reflect the real you, too. All of these things take more time.

You must make the first move by contacting prospects by email and you can't use a "form" email.

Each contact needs to be different and special. You need to make reference to their profiles and not just drool over their picture. You will need

to answer emails that you receive and do so promptly… but not TOO promptly.

This takes time, too.

In other words, you are going to have to work at Online Dating. Online Dating requires a commitment of your time, effort and energy.