Online flirting and dating can be fun - Here are some tips to help you enjoy it

Be Honest

With yourself and with prospective partners. Never be ashamed to admit you don't know something, or to ask questions. If you're looking for 24/7, don't tell someone you only want to play. If you're looking for love and romance, be up-front about it. If you are dishonest about what you want, it's not only you who could get hurt in the long run.

Never reveal too much about your personal life to anyone on-line. There are too many people who'll use your heartaches and problems for hot gossip.

Trust Your Instincts

If something doesn't feel right, it probably isn't. Your instincts, once again, are your greatest gift and resource. Use them, and listen to them.

Heed Warnings

If you're told by more than one person that a prospective partner could be trouble, LISTEN. Take into account that it's someone else's opinion of someone you're getting to know, but always listen, and openly ask your partner about what you hear. Ultimately, it's up to you to decide if you believe everything you hear, but always hear what someone is trying to tell you, and always, check it out.

If a prospective partner asks you not to ask anyone else online about them, ask yourself why. Then ask them why. And if you can't come up with any satisfactory answers, either walk away, or proceed with EXTREME caution.

If a prospective partner is hesitant with personal information after you've already given yours, then take it as a warning. FIND OUT WHY.

Don't Gossip

Don't get dragged into online gossip. It may be fun for awhile, but eventually it will only come back to haunt you. There are people online who have nothing better to do. Don't become one of them.

Think for Yourself

Trust yourself. Be honest with yourself. And above all, TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF.

But, you want to meet that online love...

Meeting your online love in person for the first time - Here are some tips

There are many ways to meet potential love and sex partners. Online and classified ads are only
two of these ways. First time meetings always require a little extra security and safety. Below are some simple rules for those awkward first encounters.

Advanced Planning

Always set the meeting up well in advance, so that you have time to arrange a sufficient safety net. (This goes for men and women alike.) If you are traveling to a distant city, make reservations at a motel, but do NOT let the person you're meeting know the location where you'll be staying. That includes the phone number of the hotel or motel.

Daylight and Public

Arrange to meet for the first time during the daylight hours in a public place, such as a mall or a restaurant. Always park your car a distance away, so that if the meeting goes badly, you cannot be followed away. Another good idea is to take a cab to this first meeting.

No Sex on First Date

Do not plan on sex during your initial meeting. You should have plenty to discuss without sex or or the like being a part of the evening.

Think about taking along a friend. A serious potential partner won't feel intimidated.

Safe Calls

There are many ideas out there about how safe calls, but here are a couple of ideas that have worked in the past.

Let two friends, preferably in ths same area where you'll be meeting, know your complete schedule. Give them the full name of the person you'll be meeting, their phone number and a brief physical description. You can even go so far as to give them the make, model and plate number of the car your date' will be driving if you have it available.

Make sure that your friends have an accurate description of you, as well, and the phone number of the local police. Arrange to call these two friends immediately after you've met your date'.

Give them a key word' beforehand, that you can say if you need to get away from your date' - for example, you could say that everything is great' if you need help, or that everything is wonderful' if you're okay. Your safe call friends should arrange to come get you or give you some sort of out' if you use your keyword. If you'll be spending more than a few hours with your date', it's a good idea to call your safe calls every few hours, at least at first.

Be Honest

Be honest with your date. If you feel, after this first meeting, that this person is not someone you want to be involved with, be honest and up-front about that. It's not necessarily a good idea to do this at your first meeting. Go home, sleep on it. And then arrange to speak to this person the next day. Remember, your instincts are your most valuable resource.

Enjoy Yourself

Have a good time. Be yourself. But most importantly, be SAFE and be HONEST - with your date, and with yourself.