What lessons have you learned from online dating?

[AriannaNation]

I was thinking to myself the other day of all the "hard" lessons I've had to learn since I've become single - and its been a lot unfortunately.

I was married for nearly 20 years (straight out of high school) so I never really dated until I separated and later divorced a few yrs ago. Married my very first boyfriend -- so everything I've learned has come later in life. Stuff that most people knew from dating in their early teens and 20's I was just learning in my late 30's and 40's! I felt really stupid for a while, got pretty badly hurt and banged up in my dating life.

I guess people that have spent most of their lives single can't relate to what I'm saying. When I read on these forums the hateful comments about how a woman shouldn't have "put out" done this or done that with a guy I feel bad for the person. I don't think anyone deserves to be manipulated, ignored, dismissed just because the other person thinks they don't owe him/her anything! Whatever happened to human decency and treating people they way you would wish to be treated?!!

But anway -- but back to the original question: What lessons have you learned from online dating or dating in general?

[g3464123]

Excellent list! I've learned more from this forum in about 2 days than I have at any other forum community.

[Jimi Orgal]

Give him a chance. He might just be one of those guys that aren't like that. And it seems to me that the shy and quiet ones tend to be the reliable ones.