I've had several relationships from JSH. It works pretty good if you are honest about yourself.

Were all here to meet friends....if it so happens it goes further.....that would be great.

I had a relationship last for 2 and a half years. But neither of us could move so we are still friends ! Just be honest !

I met my ex online. Actually, we had a great relationship for quite a few years. Although she might disagree, the fact is that a major problem was the fact that I "took" her away from her family. She told me once that I had "trapped" her into leaving there. It was always in the background, so I would caution if relocation is involved, unless the person who relocates is 100% sure they want to go to the other place and will not have ties to "home."

Otherwise, don't fall for someone a long way away, unless you are dying to pull up stakes or they are. My 2 cents.

LOL, by the way, there was one case where the real thing was about as close as Rosie O'Donnell sending a picture of Jessica Alba. Not even close. When I said, what the hell, she said the picture was a "few years earlier." Yeah, and two plastic surgeons and 100 pounds ago, too.

It will be a gamble if you meet. Maybe it is better to pick a spot and watch from afar.

HOWEVER, in summation, I would like to say that I STILL think it might beat the s**t out of bars, and I do think it is better to know someone from the inside out.

I agree with this one....i have to say i like online dating more then actually meeting someone at a bar, club, anywhere...because of the fact that you are forced to get to know each other without all the physical distractions...I have had 3 very successful online dating encounters....The first i dated him for 3 years...we still talk and are very good friends....the second...we dated 4 months..and are still good friends...the third i dotn know that you could consider him online...because he was the 2nds best friend....i have met all these guys...and they were very nice and just great guys all around...

YES, I did. I am engaged to him and moving to his hometown at the end of January to be with his family. He is in the Navy, in Guam. Can't wait for him to come home!!!

LDR's can work. I couldn't be happier... but it takes A LOT to make it work.

I wouldn't call them long term relationships... More like flings and I wasn't going to complain you know?
I met them through Myspace and Yahoo.
It was fun while it lasted and all.... I'll stick to my motto.
I'm not worried about the "Right One" when I'm having enough fun with the wrong ones lol !!

Done it...but I don't believe in online relationships anymore.

most of mine have been from online well I think all but one I was engaged to one of them but he then became and jerk. I just want someone I'm so lonely

I have met two long-term partners via online dating.

The first relationship was with a man I met in the year before my divorce was final. I was legally separated and vulnerable at the time. He was from Northern Jersey. The relationship was very serious, as he considered us "married" according to the traditions of his culture and religion. We were together, on and off, for a total of about nine months to a year. Unfortunately, it didn't last because his mom didn't "approve" of my being divorced, having a child, and being non-Moslem, even though I was prepared to consider conversion. He "divorced" me according to the traditions of his same culture and it was hell to get over.

The second relationship lasted only about 7 months, so I'm not sure you can say it was truly "long-term", but it was serious, we talked about marriage, and as we lived together for about half that time. I do think that if we hadn't lived 2,000 miles apart (he was from Texas) at the beginning and had had more time to date before moving in together, I might not have wanted to live with him in the first place. Some things you just never find out about a person until time passes. And, living long distances from each other makes it very hard to know a person's day-to-day lifestyle. There will always be some differences between how someone describes themselves, their life and the reality of it. I asked to end that relationship just last July.

After we ended, I sort of gave up on meeting anyone long-distance. I became very ambivalent about whether to date online again, too - as for me, it is difficult to make good choices that way, at times. I also really dislike the "dating mill" and try to avoid it at all costs.

Now, I have heard of and know of at least a dozen couples who met on a few of the more well-known match sites and have been together for years; marrying even. It is good to know that for some, it is possible. Because I reminded myself of this, I decided to give online another try. Like he once said, "we kind of fell in each other's lap". He is a wonderful man and I do hope that he turns out to be my heart's desire. As he says, time will tell. I also hope that he realizes the precious gift that I offer in myself.

I agree with others in this thread that have said that there is no point in "settling" as it will only make one terribly lonely and miserable in the end, perhaps prone to making bad decisions later on that they might regret. I believe I "settled " in that second relationship I mentioned above. I can honestly say it was the first time in my life I have ever ended with someone because I made the mistake of settling. It really wasn't fair to him and hurt him terribly when I asked him to move out.

We are still in touch on the rare occasion because he is a caring person - but I know it hurts him still. There is nothing romantic there between us any longer, but I lean on him at times for his strength. We both kind of agree that it is very difficult for males and females to be purely platonic friends - because one or the other always seems to have hope of more. Have any of you seen the movie "When Harry Met Sally"? I know others may have differing beliefs.

So, I guess I am still not sure whether online dating works best in the long-run for the majority of people, although I have been hearing more and more about success stories of all kinds as a result of the same. If it works for you, I am envious and also very hopeful for obtaining the best results myself. At times like this, I remind myself that it is best to remove myself from any personal investment in outcome and just let go and let God. What is meant to be usually happens.

Love & Light,
~angelindarkness