By Kelly Rouba, GalTime.com

How to Navigate the Rough Seas of Online Dating

If you’re like me and haven’t found Mr. Right yet, chances are you’ve tried or may consider trying an online dating site.  Over the past few years, I’ve created profiles on a few sites and never had so much as one date come of it.  In fact, I decided to give up on online dating altogether last year after I discovered the one guy I was planning to go out with had a girlfriend.

However, I recently decided to jump back in the online dating pool after my housemate and best guy friend encouraged me to keep at it, so I gave it a try on one of the popular free sites.
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By McLean Robbins, GalTime.com

A woman dreams of the day when that special someone sinks to one knee, looks them lovingly in the eyes and utters those four magical words, “Will you marry me?”

But in today’s glass-ceiling breaking, two-income household holding, Mr. Moms-are-totally-cool day and age, is this notion a bit antiquated?  Has the women’s liberation movement come so far that we can now propose our own version of happily ever after?

Our initial reaction after being presented with this topic was a resounding “heck no,” but naturally, more exploration was necessary.  So we queried leading relationship experts, lawyers, dating coaches and wedding professionals to get their opinions.
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By Kelly Rouba, GalTime.com

The other day, my friend was distraught over how his wife has been treating him lately.  The two had begun the process of getting divorced when she suddenly had a change in attitude and promised she would change.  Sadly, that promise lasted only a couple of weeks.

After we discussed the situation, we began exploring what he should expect from his partner and it led me to think about what characteristics I should be looking for in a man so that I don’t end up in a similar situation someday.  For those single ladies, like myself, who are hoping to get married one day, allow me to share some expert advice on what you should be looking for in a partner:
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By Analorena Zeledon, GalTime.com

I don’t think anyone really thought about how complicated text messaging would turn out to be when it was first invented, not to mention how talented we’d have to become with our thumbs.  Seriously.  If you think emails can be misinterpreted easily, think about those short, abbreviated messages specifically designed to say a lot in as little space as possible.  They are minefields when it comes to romance.
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By Rebecca VanderMeulen, GalTime.com

Is your smartphone the first thing to greet you in the morning and the last thing you see at night?

“If you’re a power user of your smartphone, you should definitely use it in your dating life,” says Laurie Davis, founder of online dating consultant eFlirt Expert.Given how indispensable mobile apps are these days, it’s no surprise that there are tons of applications to help you find a dating partner and plan a rendezvous.  Pretty much every dating site has its own mobile app, Davis says.  Besides that, you can download apps designed just to manage your dating life. “More people are spending time on their smartphones,” author and online dating expert Julie Spira tells us.  “Mobile dating apps make it more convenient to meet someone while you’re on the go and are rapidly growing in popularity.”

Our experts say there are so many to choose from, but here are some of the newest choices:

HowAboutWe

Instead of scrolling through ubiquitous profiles of singles who like baseball and long walks on the beach, why not vet them based on what they suggest doing for fun?  Spira says this app does just that.  Here’s how it works: Post “How about we …” and use your imagination to complete the sentence.  Recent examples include, “How about we sit on a park bench and make up conversations for the people we see?” and, “How about we go see a band that neither of us has heard of?”  Someone nearby post something that sounds fun?  Send a message.  That’s it!  HowAboutWe’s iPhone app, launched in June, integrates with Foursquare — useful if you’re looking for a happy hour nearby.

Bizzy

Looking for a new place to take that guy you met online?  Davis advises checking out Bizzy, a new app (in Beta) available for Android and Apple devices.  Like Foursquare, you check into that new coffee shop down the street and rate it.  But Bizzy takes things one step further by asking you for your favorite places — like your thoughts on the best food truck, best live music and best salon.  The app recommends places you might like based on your answers to these questions, ratings of places you’ve checked out before and preferences of people who share your taste.

PinPointsX

Spira says this is the app for when you’re looking for a hookup.  It shows you other members who live nearby, displaying information like their names, ages, height and weight.  Of course you can also make a profile complete with a photo and brief, tantalizing bio.  Find someone who looks like fun and you can send a message or give him a call.  PinPointsX lets you search for men, women and couples.  Plus, the app helps you find bars and hotels once you figure out who you want to meet.  PinPointsX is available for Apple devices and in the Android Market.

DatingCRM

Ever meet John during happy hour at that funky dive bar, only to confuse him with Jake from the hot club you checked out last weekend?  Then you may want to check out DatingCRM, an app that keeps notes on all the potential dates you meet.  While a new guy thinks you’re texting, store tidbits about where you met, his favorite beer and what he does for a living.  “It’s like a digital black book,” Davis says.  Right now DatingCRM is only available in its private beta version since the developers are still working on the details.  But this means you have a chance to give them feedback.

Got any others we should know about?  Let us know your tip on managing your love life … we want to hear from  you!

By Marianne Beach, GalTime.com

I’m admittedly a recovered relationship addict.  I went from relationship to relationship with little or no break in between.  Luckily, I was finally able to break that cycle and stay single for two years – before finally meeting my dream guy (and now husband).

But staying single for a serial monogamist is often easier said than done.  After all, you’re used to having a second opinion, someone to take to dinner parties and curl up with in bed.  An empty house can be frightening for someone addicted to love. Continue reading →