what similarities and differences do you notice between the two when looking for someone special?

I was just having the conversation...

I don't have an answer but it's an interesting question...

great minds think alike

the only real difference I can think of (on the top of my pointed head) is that you can see what people really look like in real life.

No female attention from the opposite sex in either real life OR online.

No differences at all to me.

Sometimes people use online to be who they are not....like a personna instead of who or what they are in real life

true...I think it's easier to hide behind a computer at times (kinda like that Brad Paisley song "Online")

but I know people in real life that do that as well

I think the diff is that people might not look as good in pictures and also some people might come off as weird when they send emails when all they are trying to do is be funny or witty

Heh. I have enough problems just keeping up with being ME...lmao

I don't know you can see pics online of people.. Online you can get to know people over a longer period of time in an arena where they're "usually" more apt to be themselves... In person I think it takes longer b/c you don't typically talk as much over a long period of time...

hummm, that is a good question. For me it's the same....lack of potential dates, let alone a "special" someone.

Exactly what I was going to say.

OK,,,HERE on the net,,,,pictures can be old or faked.
in person,,,never..
On here, one can take their time to answer a question and calm and collect their selves before typing,,
in person, YOU can see their real reactions, and read their eyes.
on here, one can talk in type very neat and clean and proper.
in person, they can cuss like a devil, and never really talk.
on here, one can be married or with someone and you might never know it.
in person, you might be able to see a bare spot where they had removed their wedding band, or them acting like they don't want to be seen with you in a public place..
on here, one can only dream,wish,pray,type,joke,ask..
in person, one can feel a real touch, see a real smile, hold a real hand, kiss a set of lips, see the looks in their eyes,
Thats about my ALL compared,,,wink,lol

Joy...true....you can sort of "interview" them online first

over a lonnnnnnnnnng period of time....

I have "meet" many special people online especially here at Mingle but sometimes even after getting to know them for a long time and building that friendship/relationship it can turn out bad as for the written word doesn't show any emotion in it as it would if those words were spoken. This is the reason I think many come off as being rude whenin fact they were making a joke

Similar, well, the looking part.

IRL, I'm generally more at ease, because the reactions are immediate, not deleted unread.

Online, I'm much more judgemental of every word in their profile, because there's not much more to look at and usually, we tell on ourselves, even when we try not to.

IRL, spelling errors go unnoticed, but grammar and ghetto factor is blatantly obvious in both environments.

Online, it becomes obvious almost immediately when someone doesn't have a command on the English language.

Making the transition from online to IRL is much more difficult than starting out IRL. When I lived in a city of 3,000,000+, going online wasn't a consideration. In this small town of 13,000, where and how to look changes.

Yep

true. sometimes it's hard to read how people post.

ok....so this brings up a question (and I'm being sincere about this question too) why do you suppose some people think it should be easier online and expect an instant date. Why would people think being online is like a magic wand?

b/c they are impatient and desperate and probably strike out in person so they think that online is the miracle cure... they unfortunately have no clue.. Ok, I don't know just guessing..