Wednesday 25 March 2015

Know Facts about Senior Online Dating

Know Facts about Senior Online Dating : Whether you are looking for new love, friendship or companionship, our guide to dating will help you to find happiness. Getting older doesn’t mean that our need for closeness and companionship goes away. Many people in their 50s and older find themselves newly single, or simply decide now’s the time to find a partner.

Whether you’re recently separated or bereaved, or have been single for some time, it’s never too late to start a new relationship. It’s not unusual to feel lonely, particularly if you’ve just lost a partner or decided to go your separate ways. You may have more free time and want to share that time with somebody, or you may miss having physical contact.

But the thought of meeting someone new can feel daunting, especially if you’ve spent years, or decades, in the same relationship. It can also be difficult to find someone who shares your interests. Some people find it easier to use dating websites to make contact with potential partners.

Online dating for old aged

The dating scene has changed a lot in recent years, and there are more opportunities to meet people online, via dating websites. There’s less of a stigma now than there used to be about meeting your partner this way, or through the singles ads in the newspaper. Some dating websites are aimed specifically at older people.

It can be exciting to find people with similar interests to you and to receive messages and emails from them. It can be fun and enjoyable – just remember to be careful. There’s no rush – take your time to be sure it feels right before you get serious with someone.

Safety tips

Never give your full name and address or other personal details to someone until you’re sure you can trust them. There are some warning signs to look out for if you meet someone on a dating website, for example if the conversation becomes personal very quickly, or if they ask for information such as your full name, address and birth date.

If you’re arranging to meet someone for the first time, meet them in a public place such as a café. Always tell somebody where you’re going and when you expect to be back. Don’t accept a lift from the person, go home with them, or take them to your home until you’re sure about them.

Same-sex relationships

Perhaps you’ve recently started to have feelings towards people of your own gender for the first time, or maybe you’ve always had these feelings but have been unable to express them until now. Although prejudice and discrimination haven’t gone away completely, attitudes are changing and you may find that people are a lot more supportive than they might have been some decades ago.

Almost all dating websites have the option to find a same-sex partner, and there are some sites specifically for gay people. Stonewall’s website has a search tool for finding community groups for older gay men and lesbians in your area.

Tags : online dating, dating and love, dating and relationship,best free dating sites, free dating site, dating blog, dating tips, dating girl, dating beautiful girl, dating old age, senior dating, senior match

The 36 Questions to fall love

 1. Given the choice of anyone in the world, whom would you want as a dinner guest?

2. Would you like to be famous? In what way?

3. Before making a telephone call, do you ever rehearse what you are going to say? Why?

4. What would constitute a “perfect” day for you?

5. When did you last sing to yourself? To someone else?

6. If you were able to live to the age of 90 and retain either the mind or body of a 30-year-old for the last 60 years of your life, which would you want?

7. Do you have a secret hunch about how you will die?

8. Name three things you and your partner appear to have in common.

9. For what in your life do you feel most grateful?

10. If you could change anything about the way you were raised, what would it be?

11. Take four minutes and tell your partner your life story in as much detail as possible.

12. If you could wake up tomorrow having gained any one quality or ability, what would it be?

13. If a crystal ball could tell you the truth about yourself, your life, the future or anything else, what would
you want to know?

14. Is there something that you’ve dreamt of doing for a long time? Why haven’t you done it?

15. What is the greatest accomplishment of your life?

16. What do you value most in a friendship?

17. What is your most treasured memory?

18. What is your most terrible memory?

19. If you knew that in one year you would die suddenly, would you change anything about the way you are now living? Why?

20. What does friendship mean to you?

21. What roles do love and affection play in your life?

22. Alternate sharing something you consider a positive characteristic of your partner. Share a total of five
items.

23. How close and warm is your family? Do you feel your childhood was happier than most other people’s?

24. How do you feel about your relationship with your mother?

25. Make three true “we” statements each. For instance, “We are both in this room feeling ... “

26. Complete this sentence: “I wish I had someone with whom I could share ... “

27. If you were going to become a close friend with your partner, please share what would be important for him or her to know.

28. Tell your partner what you like about them; be very honest this time, saying things that you might not say
to someone you’ve just met.

29. Share with your partner an embarrassing moment in your life.


30. When did you last cry in front of another person? By yourself?

Tags : online dating, dating and love, dating and relationship,best free dating sites, free dating site, dating blog, dating tips, dating girl, dating beautiful girl, dating old age, senior dating, senior match

Mistakes Seniors Should Avoid When Online Dating

http://static.eharmony.com/dating-advice/wp-content/uploads/images/dating-senior-men.jpg
 Senior dating online is a great way to meet new people with similar interests, and it doesn't require a significant commitment on your end. As people age, it can be more difficult to find someone you're compatible with. By signing up for an online dating site, you can easily sort through other single seniors in your area, and easily match up with someone who has a similar lifestyle. While most seniors on dating sites are looking for romance, there are also plenty of seniors looking for friends.

If you have an active social media account, like Facebook, you probably have all the skills you need to avoid beginner's mistakes. However, even if you're uncomfortable surfing the Internet, online dating can still be fun. Just avoid these five mistakes when you sign up for your profile
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1. Signing up for the wrong online dating site
While many online dating websites accept people of all ages, you're more likely to find love if you're on a senior online dating website. Even incredibly popular dating websites, like eHarmony, may not let you sign up if you're over 50. Instead of wasting your time, try senior websites, like Senior Friend Finder, OurTime or AARP's HowAboutWe. On these sites, you'll find plenty of people who are interested in older romantic partners.


 2. Not investing enough time to create a good profile
Your online dating profile creates an important first impression for other people who are browsing the site. Be sure to take enough time to build a good profile with enough information to really captivate the kind of person you're interested in. Don't be afraid to write enough about yourself and your own personal likes and dislikes. That way, you will avoid having online conversations with people who are not compatible with you. Also, including several recent, flattering pictures is also incredibly important.
http://www.senior-dating.org/wp-content/uploads/senior-couple8.jpg
 
 3. Talking too much about the past
When you start having conversations with other users, it's common to want to talk about significant past events in your life. However, it's important to balance these conversations with information about your future plans and current lifestyle. For example, if you find yourself unable to stop talking about your late wife, people may wonder if you're ready to date. 
http://www.welcome2thebronx.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Senior-dating-advices.jpg

4. Becoming overly involved with online dating
It's easy to spend several hours browsing online dating sites and chatting with the people you meet online. While you'll need to spend some time online to find a partner, make sure that your Internet love life isn't impacting real relationships. Be sure you're still getting out and meeting your friends and family members regularly. If you don't have many local relationships and hobbies, now's the time to find some. You'll be a more intriguing candidate for romance if you're not constantly sitting in front of the computer.

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5. Sharing personal information with people you meet online
While most of the people you'll meet online are just looking for companionship, there's a small percentage of people who are scam artists. These people are highly skilled at manipulating other people into giving them money or financial information. Never give anything of monetary value to people you meet online. Also, be incredibly cautious when sharing your phone number or address with online acquaintances. Some scam artists can use this information against you.

Tags : online dating, dating and love, dating and relationship,best free dating sites, free dating site, dating blog, dating tips, dating girl, dating beautiful girl, dating old age, senior dating, senior match

Exclusive Dating Tips


When it comes to finding people to date, never underestimate the power of friends and social media. Your friends (and their friends) are great resources for meeting new people. If you choose to use online dating sites, remember that those are intended to be used for introductions, so be sure to meet in person as soon as possible. 

Bring half an evening..
One person organises the food, & the other organises a movie, or one person organises tickets to an amusement park, & the other plans a walking tour. Very collaborative! You get the opportunity to impress your crush with your superior taste while also finding out more about them. You don’t have to meet at someone’s house, either — a park bench, good picnic spot or even town square could work too.


 



 Wake up at 4am & watch the sunrise together
Maybe not first date material, but perhaps third or fourth. What could be better than sitting close on a rooftop somewhere, talking & laughing & watching the sun come up? Take a flask of hot coffee for extra points. 

 

Dating Tip for men ♥: Hug the girl at the beginning of the date. It will be a great start.


It keeps things fair and balanced.. 
It’s nice to feel like you’re contributing to your relationship: emotionally, financially or otherwise. If you want to split the bill on your next date, approach your partner about it. They’re sure to appreciate your effort.

Tags : online dating, dating and love, dating and relationship,best free dating sites, free dating site, dating blog, dating tips, dating girl, dating beautiful girl, dating old age, senior dating, senior match

How to Fall in Love with Anyone? - Is it possible to Fall in Love with Anyone?

 How to Fall in Love with Anyone? - Is it possible to Fall in Love with Anyone?
 Mandy Len Catron says it is — and her story has captured the imagination of thousands.

The writer and lecturer says she doesn’t believe in soulmates.
The 33-year-old tried to replicate a study that said intimacy could be achieved with a set of 36 questions and a four-minute exercise. And it worked. Her New York Times essay, ‘To Fall in Love With Anyone, Do This’ has become an internet sensation in just a weekend.

 
“Everybody wants to be loved and the chance to love someone,” Catron, who teaches writing at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, told news.com.au.
“We like the possibility that we don’t have to be passive in that process.” Catron, from rural Virginia, found the idea particularly appealing. After she ended a 10-year relationship in 2011, she decided she wanted to write about love stories and how they make us see the world.

 
“I wasn’t convinced they make us better at love, in fact, I thought they may make us worse at it,” she says.
Catron’s Love Story Project dwells on how we find love in the modern world. While researching the subject, she came across a 20-year-old study by psychologist Arthur Aron, in which he succeeded in making two strangers fall in love in a lab. “A heterosexual man and woman enter the lab through separate doors,” she writes in her essay. “They sit face to face and answer a series of increasingly personal questions. Then they stare silently into each other’s eyes for four minutes. The most tantalising detail: Six months later, two participants were married.” After three years of online dating, Catron was feeling disenchanted.

 
“You never know what the other person is thinking,” she says. “They’re usually keeping their options open ... I felt a lot of anxiety.” Last summer, she was talking to an old university acquaintance she occasionally saw at the gym when he started asking about her research. When she brought up the study, they quickly agreed to try it out. “With this guy, there was no anxiety,” she says. “I thought, ‘Maybe we’ll have a relationship, maybe we’ll just be close friends’.” She admits that there were flaws in her version of the study. “First, we were in a bar, not a lab. Second, we weren’t strangers. Not only that, but I see now that one neither suggests nor agrees to try an experiment designed to create romantic love if one isn’t open to this happening.” Nevertheless, as the pair took turns to ask each other increasingly personal questions, they felt a deepening bond.
The original study is also known as the “sharing game”.

 
By the time they headed out on to a bridge to stare into each other’s eyes, they were falling in love.
“It was scary, but I'm glad I did it,” says Catron. She insists the four-minute gaze is crucial to the experiment.
“Two minutes is just enough to be terrified,” she told the New York Times. “Four really goes somewhere.”
Six months later, she and her 38-year-old partner are still happily together.
“I don’t know how much was him — it was great talking to him — and how much was the study,” she says.
The test has also been used to help create bonds of friendship. Source: News Limited
 Since its invention, the experiment has been used to connect people in other scenarios. including students of psychology and people with different political ideologies.
It is also known as the “fast friends” experiment, or the “sharing game”.
“It always has the effect of bring people closer,” says Catron. “It’s about being vulnerable, letting your guard down.
The test has also been used to help create bonds of friendship. “An individual could fall in love with any number of people. I don’t buy into the idea of a soulmate.
“It’s about timing, patience and also a willingness to be vulnerable with people. Rejection is so painful, I experienced that with online dating.

“You have to put yourself out there. Don’t wait for love to find you.”

Tags : online dating, dating and love, dating and relationship,best free dating sites, free dating site, dating blog, dating tips, dating girl, dating beautiful girl, dating old age, senior dating, senior match

Before Dating Build Your Health - 9 Ways for a better health Quickly - Dating and Health

Before Dating Build Your Health - 9 Ways for a better health Quickly - Dating and Health : Choosing to follow a healthier lifestyle can promote a life full of quality and longevity. A variety of factors to implement into a healthier lifestyle include proper diet and exercise, stress reduction and consistent sleep patterns. By practicing these 10 methods to better health, you can reduce your health risks and enjoy a life full of value.

Exercise Your Heart 

10 Ways to Live a Healthy Lifestyle Performing cardiovascular exercise strengthens the cardiovascular system and over time lowers your resting heart rate. Forms of cardiovascular workouts include running, swimming, biking or using machines such as an elliptical or an indoor rower. The American College of Sports Medicine suggests performing a moderate intensity cardio workout 30 minutes a day, five days a week, or a vigorous cardio session for 20 minutes daily, three days a week.


Build Strength

10 Ways to Live a Healthy Lifestyle 
Resistance training is another healthy lifestyle method that will potentially increase metabolism. Since muscle tissue requires calories to survive, the adaptation of new muscle creates a demand for greater calorie burn. The ACSM also recommends sticking to a twice-weekly resistance program consisting of eight to 10 exercises, keeping repetitions around eight to 12.



10 Ways to Live a Healthy Lifestyle

Play Sports

 
A way to get moving again can come from enjoying your favorite sport. Games or leagues in your area provide a way to receive adequate exercise.

 


  Involve the Family

10 Ways to Live a Healthy Lifestyle Involving the whole family is another method to create group support and quality time with loved ones. Create games that include the entire family for a workout filled with fun.





Control Your Weight 

10 Ways to Live a Healthy Lifestyle Reducing calories in your diet creates a way to increase overall health and lower body weight. Understand your daily caloric needs by using the basal metabolic rate formula. Basal metabolic rate refers to the amount of calories burned at resting levels. An average BMR for women is typically around 2,000 to 2,100 calories a day, and for men, 2,700 to 2,900 calories daily.




Avoid Processed Foods

10 Ways to Live a Healthy Lifestyle Avoiding processed foods can increase overall health and prevent unwanted weight gain and illness. Processed foods have been blamed for behavioral problems such as hyperactivity, weight gain and certain cancers, reports the Puristat Digestive Wellness Center.




Control Cravings

10 Ways to Live a Healthy Lifestyle Eliminating nighttime eating will also assist in weight reduction and health improvement. Keep yourself occupied and be aware of times when cravings are highest.





Sleep

10 Ways to Live a Healthy Lifestyle Getting adequate sleep is crucial for weight reduction and health. According to the University of Chicago Medical Center, “Sleep deprivation triggers the release of unwanted hormones such as cortisol, which alters glucose metabolism resulting in fat storage.” Sleeping at least eight hours a night will help promote regular glucose metabolism and limit weight gain.



Reduce Stress

10 Ways to Live a Healthy Lifestyle Controlling stress is another method of creating a healthy lifestyle. Like sleep deprivation, high levels of stress activate hormone release, including cortisol, which modifies glucose metabolism. Unwanted food cravings typically occur during high levels of stress. Control your daily stress by first identifying certain causes and create steps to reduce stress levels. One method could be performing deep-breathing techniques for five to 10 minutes when stress levels are heightened. Yoga can be an outlet for levels of stress and relaxation from your stress-filled life.

Read my other posts on Dating and Lifestyle - Focusing on old aged dating.

Tags : online dating, dating and love, dating and relationship,best free dating sites, free dating site, dating blog, dating tips, dating girl, dating beautiful girl, dating old age, senior dating, senior match

Saturday 21 March 2015

Linto Helen Dating Prado

Would YOU go out with someone you've never seen? New dating app FuzzyBanter blurs out strangers' faces so singles focus on personality rather than looks


A new dating app claims to be 'putting the excitement back into dating' by pushing users' personalities ahead of their looks.
Much like Tinder - the notorious dating app responsible for making 'swipe left' a cultural reference - FuzzyBanter can hook you up with people living in your area.
But rather than have singles base their dating choices on potentially cringeworthy profile pictures, the app 'fuzzes' your face to let your listed interests do the matchmaking instead.
New dating app FuzzyBanter blurs out profile pictures to let the listed interests and personality traits of its users become the the main attraction
New dating app FuzzyBanter blurs out profile pictures to let the listed interests and personality traits of its users become the the main attraction
Even though the dating app keeps your appearance mostly hidden, age, height and ethnicity can still be used as search filters
All FuzzyBanter dating profile pictures are blurred to start off with, though you can reveal what you look like further down the line
All FuzzyBanter dating profile pictures are blurred to start off with (pictured right), though you can reveal what you look like further down the line. Age, height and ethnicity can still be used as search filters, to help people find their perfect match (pictured left)
Claiming to 'bring courtship back to the 21st century', the app allows users to list up to ten interests when they sign up, along with a 160 character bio.
You'll also need to enter your age, height, location, star sign and ethnicity, which can all be used as filters for potential dates to find what they're looking for.

Is love blind? We went speed-dating blindfolded to find out

Food speed dating

In a glass box in midtown Manhattan decorated with leafy artificial archways, Astroturf and lawn tables, I place my hand on a stranger’s face. I do not know her name. The woman is blindfolded too. Her hand strokes my hair.
“This,” I tell myself, “is really, really weird.”
I am at a blindfold speed-dating event, billed by the organisers – London-based events company Guerilla Science – as a “sensory exploration of dating”.
When booking I was told to bring a companion, so I brought my friend Gary (not his real name). He is to be my minder for the evening. Earlier, all participants had gathered in a grim midtown Irish-themed pub to drink, mingle and, in Gary’s case, prepare chemically for the experience. As Gary buys another Guinness and shot of whiskey to wash down the two Xanax he just took (to “chill out”), I chat with another attendee, a mousy-looking 41-year-old in small spectacles.
Dancing

Dancing, blindfolded: it can’t be that hard, right? Photograph: Guerilla Science
His name is Jeff, and this is his second speed-dating event in as many days. “I don’t want to go home,” he says, a little mysteriously by way of explanation. “Bad relationship thing.” He struck out last night, he tells me, but is hopeful for this evening. He gestures at the room behind him. “All the hotties are here.” Against the rules, he has come to the event alone.

When we get to the glass room where the actual speed-dating is to take place, we are immediately told to put on our blindfolds. Gary is tasked with leading me around by the shoulder. “I’m a bit pissed right now,” he whispers to me reassuringly.
“Is a scientific experience of attraction even possible?” asks the emcee for the evening. “It’s all about chemistry, and we’re going to have a little experiment. There are so many variables that go into what we find attractive, so we are going to isolate them.” Of course, we aren’t really. This isn’t a laboratory, though some of the experiments work better than others.
First, talking. Just talking, except blindfolded. This is a little awkward, and I immediately find myself floundering. “So, where are you from?” I ask lamely. “What does that matter?” asks the faceless voice in my personal darkness, with mild hostility. Things limp on in that vein until the emcee calls time. “Don’t worry about it,” Gary whispers to me afterwards.
Touch is the next round and it is really, really bizarre. After being steered to a table by my minder, the emcee tells us to go for it – so we do. Touching a stranger, blindfolded, is something for which you quickly discover there is almost no automatic physical language on which to fall back.
A later round involves taste, which means feeding each other a variety of different foods while blindfolded (including fresh jalapeños).
speed dating

‘The face is very sensual.’ Photograph: Guerilla Science
Later, over the phone, I chat with the person I was paired with, Kati Laakso. “A lot of the guys seemed really shy,” she tells me. “I was surprised that people didn’t touch the face more,” she tells me.
“The face is very sensual,” she said. “I felt like the guys weren’t really doing that. It was the same in the taste thing, people were just trying to find your mouth and stuff the food in, whereas I wanted to know what the lips feel like, how the face is formed.”
Afterwards, at Jimmy’s Corner, I speak to Katie Urban, who came to the event with her friend Erica. “My touch guy was a little bit awkward,” she says. “He didn’t want to go there.” “Erica’s was all over her,” she adds, a little resentfully. Erica nods. She says they came without expectations. “It was interesting,” Erica says.
Heather Berlin is a neuroscientist who teaches at Mount Sinai School of Medicine and was at the event to lend some scientific credibility. Between each round, she gave a little talk about the science behind each sense. “The idea is that much of the processing in the brain is going on unconsciously, dictating the decisions we make,” she tells me later. “So you can go through each sensory domain and talk about the various factors making someone attractive.”
Nicky Woolf
Nicky Woolf: will he find love with no sight? Photograph: Guerilla Science
The effect of the blindfold is very important, Berlin says. “It takes away a lot of your power, being able to suss out your environment,” she says. “So you’re clearing the deck of preconceived judgments, allowing the person to focus on the sound of a voice, or how a person feels.”
“We’re such visual creatures,” she says. “Of all the senses, taking away vision is the most disorienting, because its where we get most of our conscious info. But it forces you to tune into other stimuli. And it takes away these biases.”
Later, I catch up with Jeff. He did meet one or two people he liked, he tells me, but didn’t meet anyone. “I got to touch someone’s hand,” he says.

Kym Johnson Dating Robert Herjavec? DWTS 2015 Dancers Dating?

Is a new romance forming on the "Dancing With The Stars" dance floor?
"Shark Tank" boss Robert Herjavec is reportedly dating his pro partner, Kym Johnson. According to a source from Us Weekly, the pair was spotted getting cozy at an intimate viewing party for the show on Monday evening at L.A.'s Hyde Sunset Kitchen + Cocktails, and they were reportedly seen holding hands and dancing closely. The pair even allegedly kissed several times.

Dancing with the Stars

Facebook/ Dancing with the Stars
Dancing with the Stars pro Kym Johnson with Shark Tank mogul Robert Herjavec
The magazine also reported that after placing fourth in Monday night's episode, the pair left the studio lot together, speeding off to a party in Herjavec's Rolls-Royce.
"Kym and Robert were definitely attracted to each other from the get-go," said the source to Us Weekly. "They are constantly all over each other. She can't stop talking about what a good, nice guy he is. They have insane chemistry and are actually a good match."
Herjavec's 24-year marriage to Diane Plese ended in July last year, and the 52-year old tycoon revealed that he hit rock bottom soon after when he contemplated suicide. He told People Magazine, "I just wanted to end it. It's been a terribly difficult year. We were great parents and a great team, but over time we drifted apart."
Apparently, competing in the latest season of the hit ABC show proved to be the perfect project where he could dive in head first as he told ETCanada, "This couldn't have come at a better time in my life for me. I'm just trying to stay positive and Kym's yelling at me a lot and that's a little negative but I'm getting used to it."
Johnson has never been married. She was previously engaged to cricket player Shane Watson, but the two split after three years together.
In an interview with the Daily Telegraph, the 38-year old dancer said, "I've never been opposed to dating someone famous. I'm looking for a good person I connect with…I can't imagine myself without kids…I really want to be a mum. Hopefully, I can find the right man."

Dating app Hinge makes India debut

After being launched in London last month, dating application Hinge will now be available to smartphone users in India. Targetted at professionals between 26-36 year old, the app will initially focus at making inroads in the metros. “We are the Facebook of online dating services. India is the second-largest market for Facebook after the US. Also, with a rise in number of smartphone users and growing access to internet, we believe this is the apt time to enter the Indian market,” said Justin McLeod, CEO, Hinge.

The dating application, which has so far raised $20 million, is also open for a strategic partnership in India. “While we do not plan to raise any more funds at the moment, we are looking at regional partnership that would help in building our app’s presence in the country,” added McLeod.
Hinge, which uses Facebook to help match a person’s profile with friends displays details such as name, workplace, education, etc.

Dating Diaries: Rosa and Billy

Billy said his ex-wife hated sex, and told Rosa about how much he loved to roll around on the floor with a woman. After that, he complimented her legs and breasts, and said she seemed strong.



Rosa is a 56-year-old buyer who lives in Aurora. She says, “My style is ‘classic, casual and chic.’” Rosa describes herself as “happy, nurturing, a good listener, friendly and stubborn” and says she likes to “walk, shop, volunteer, cook, bake, and spend time with my kids and their significant others.” Rosa is looking for someone who is “funny, interested in spending time with family, likes to travel, not cheap, healthy and in reasonably good physical condition.” She says, “I have had a lot of success meeting men online, but I’m still searching for that ‘special someone,’ as they say.”
I signed up for online dating after my divorce. Right away, I started getting a lot of messages from men. Billy and I met online, and he seemed like a good prospect. He was definitely one of the best options, as far as I could tell. I liked the fact that he lived near me, and seemed to be a hard worker and family oriented. We also seemed to have some common interests, which was nice. We agreed to meet at a local coffee shop on a Friday night.
After eating a light dinner, I got myself all gussied up for my first date in over 30 years. As I was about to leave the house, I received a text from Billy saying he would be delayed for an hour. When I arrived at the coffee shop at the new time, I actually ended up waiting outside for another 10 minutes until he showed up. So far, he wasn’t living up to expectations.
Billy looked dishevelled when he arrived, in baggy pants and a scruffy windbreaker. We shook hands. He told me that he hadn’t had time to eat dinner, and wanted to get something at the strip-mall nearby. There was only one place, so we headed in. There I was, a 50-something woman, on her first date since her divorce, under the harsh lighting of a fast-food joint.
I stood there as Billy ordered and sat across from him while he wolfed down his food, all the while texting with his kids. He didn’t apologize to me about how late he was, or about the change in plans, and didn’t make an effort to engage with me very much. My stomach was nervous to begin with, and the smell of the restaurant absolutely nauseated me. Once he finished eating, we finally proceeded to the coffee shop. He didn’t want coffee, so I got one and we sat down.
The conversation was awful. He told me that his ex-wife had hated sex, and about how much he loved to roll around on the floor with a woman. After telling me this, he looked me over and complimented my legs and breasts, and said that I seemed “strong,” and would be fun to roll around with. I told him that he would never have the chance to find out. It was very uncomfortable.
I have to say, I was shocked and dismayed that this was the new world of dating. I wasn’t sure if it was going to work for me. Was Billy an example of a typical man in his 50s? I think one of the downfalls of online dating is that because you don’t meet through friends or work or a shared activity, there’s no real accountability for your actions. Maybe Billy seemed to say whatever he wanted to say because it was all so anonymous.
I went home after an hour, and had a glass of wine and thought about how it might not be that bad to be alone.
Rosa rates her date (out of 10): 1

Why Millennials Favor Dating with New Tech


Decades ago, young New York Jews drove up into the picturesque Catskill Mountains to meet one another; secure in the knowledge that the cream of the single crop would be waiting for them at one of the huge hotels in the aptly named “Borscht Belt.” Now, the belt lies deserted, the hotel only in the history books, but New York’s Jews are still looking for the cream of the single crop…they just don’t have to leave their phone or laptop to do it.
In 2015 and beyond, the future of dating will be in the seamless blending of the mobile and the present; millennials will favor tools that let them efficiently begin the process on mobile and then rapidly meet those they share interests with in the real world.
Today, where their grandparents would have driven to the Borscht Belt, singles in New York and other cities download Hinge, which considers itself an ‘app as a meeting place’ and seeks to revolutionize digital dating by making mobile search even more seamless – and then rapidly taking the experience off the cloud and back into the real world.
“Hinge blurs the lines between online and offline by mimicking the real-world experience of meeting through friends. The social connection, along with Facebook-validated photos and profile information such as school and workplace, creates a level of accountability and transparency that allows users to feel comfortable moving offline quickly,” said Justin McLeod, CEO of Hinge.
Hinge is, of course, not the only site or app seeking to bridge the online-offline gap, and others are at the forefront of bridging that gap for diverse communities. Dattch (rebranded as HER), a new app for the Lesbian market, helps reach a demographic that has found it difficult to date using both traditional and Web 1.0 methods. Different meetups cater to every type of interest group imaginable; for those who need their chosen one to also love “Absurdism and Surrealism” or The Bad Film Society of Philadelphia. Gay travelers seeking a match can use Misterbnb, one of my own investments and a travel booking site on the Airbnb model that caters to the LGBT market. Although hardly a dating website, past Misterbnb users have slyly acknowledged that if they can find a charming gay host for their next vacation, who knows if Mr. Right might not come from that more exotic locale?
Perhaps most interesting, millennials’ penchant for using tech-driven benefits cards.  While old-school country clubs may be on their last generation, the younger affluent are catering to exclusive benefits cards and programs that allows them to meet other, similar members through social events. One of the most popular, Founders Card, gears itself primarily to entrepreneurs – a group notorious for dating the like-minded. A rising rival, Select, uses a screening process is geared to ensure that members meet others who they feel will enrich their lives and experience.
“Bringing the community together through a variety of members-only events, ranging from cocktail receptions to fashion shows, sporting events to gallery openings has been a huge success. Ambitious people want to connect and facilitating that connection through unique experiences is incredibly valuable,” said Carlo Cisco, CEO of Select.
Dating and connecting is, by its very nature, a personal and social experience. How do we find that singular right person for us, our heart of hearts soulmate? The answer isn’t here yet, but millennials’ new mix of online tools that seamlessly combine the mobile and in-person experience looks like the next wave of the future.

This dating app will help you find love through Netflix

You spot the man/ woman of your dreams on a dating site. They look even better in the flesh. They even laugh at your jokes.
You’re getting ready to introduce them to your mates, but then they drop the bombshell. They hate Walking Dead/ Breaking Bad/ House of Cards (delete as appropriate).
If this sounds familiar, fear not. You can avoid this nightmare scenario with new dating app My Show Mate.
Currently in development by Angela Manfredi, a telly obsessive looking for love, the app works by matching you up with other singletons in your location who share your favourite programmes on Netflix.
As Angela says, “I want to meet a great guy with common interests. I don’t climb, I don’t bike and my idea of breaking a sweat is watching the season finale of Homeland.” We’re with you there, Angela.
Once you’ve pinned down your prince or princess charming, you can chat with them in real time during your Netflix marathons.
My Show Mate
This is a BRILLIANT idea (Picture: My Show Mate)
What could be better? You’ll avoid awkward small talk and get straight to the nitty gritty of whether Kiefer Sutherland really does wear the same T-shirt for the whole of 24.
Before you know it, you’ll be snuggled up on the same sofa. And there will be no fights over the remote control. What’s not to like?
If you want to make this app a reality, get donating to Angela’s Kickstarter page.

Jamie Foxx denies dating rumours with 'friend' Katie Holmes

Jamie Foxx has denied the rumours that he is secretly dating Katie Holmes as they are 'just friends'.
The Ray actor was spotted at an ATM when he stopped to clarify that there was nothing cooking between him and the 36-year-old actress, TMZ.com reported. The 47-year-old actor also joked that tabloids had been trying to make that a story for 3 years.


Foxx added that he and Holmes were currently working on the CSI creator Anthony Zuiker's upcoming animation project.

Chris Evans Dating Lily Collins? Check Out Details About Their Friday Night Dinner!

Is there something romantic going on between Chris Evans and Lily Collins?
The 33-year-old Captain America and The Avengers star and the 26-year-old Mirror Mirror actress, daughter of rocker Phil Collins, were seen having dinner together at a high-end Italian restaurant in Los Angeles on Friday. The two had first sparked romance rumors a week ago. They have not commented about the nature of their relationship.

Chris Evans, Lily Collins

The two dined solo and sat at a table on the patio. Evans drank a beer and seemed more talkative during their meal, a eyewitness told E! News, adding that both appeared to be flirting.
"It for sure seemed like they were on a date," the eyewitness added.

VIDEO: Who was Chris Evans' 2015 Oscars date?
Evans' most high-profile public relationship was with Minka Kelly. He and the Friday Night Lights star dated on and off from 2007 to 2013. Lily was previously linked to heartthrob Zac Efron and while the two were pictured appearing cozy together, they never confirmed a relationship.
Evans and Collins have never worked together. However, they did both attend Vanity Fair's 2015 post-Oscars party. It is unclear if they met there.

If they are dating, perhaps we will we see Collins walk the red carpet with Evans soon: The actor is promoting his newest film, The Avengers: Age of Ultron. The movie, in which he reprises his role as Captain America, hits theaters on May 1, in less than six weeks.

12 Things You Should Know Before Dating a Swimmer


Fancy a swimmer, do ya? It’s understandable, with their broad backs, chiseled mid-sections and habit of finding themselves mostly nude.
Here are some things you should know before you profess your love to your friendly neighborhood competitive swimmer:



1. The smell isn’t going anywhere. Get used to it. We might not be able to smell it, or notice, or frankly, care, but the smell of chlorine is our natural scent.

2. Free time is a rare commodity. Most weekends are off limits. Either there is a swim meet, or we are catching up on sleep, eating, and sleep. Weekdays aren’t much better either between unpacking and packing swim bags, homework, inhaling food and promptly passing out.

3. If you plan on buying, don’t take us out for dinner without a sizable brick of cash in your wallet. Suggestions: anywhere that has an all you can eat menu. We eat. A lot. (Here’s a tip: don’t make a face—whether you are impressed or disgusted—when we order seconds. This is what we do.)

4. If you don’t like muscles, move along. If you are a guy who isn’t into girls who have muscles, or a girl who isn’t into guys whose shoulders are as wide as doorways, than hit the bricks.

5. Movie theaters are a risky date choice. The combination of the darkness, full-backed, plush chairs and a double of distance workouts that day is a sure-fire recipe for a 2-hour pass out session.

6. If the teammates don’t like you, watch out. It’s hard enough dating someone who has the ever-judging parents and siblings, but swimmers take this to another level with teammates. They sweat, bleed and cry together. They swim up and down that black line for 15-20 hours a week, spend weekends traveling to compete, and see one another at their best and their worst.

7. The 1-2 punch to a swimmer’s affection. Ultimately, there are two keys to every swimmer’s heart: food, and excellent massage skills.

8. Don’t slag the sport. Swimmers can complain about the hours they put in, the lack of attention it gets compared to major sports, but you can’t hate on the sport. Yes, it’s bizarre that we complain about all the meters we have to swim, and then still do it anyway, but we earned it.

9. Her idea of “sleeping in” is different than yours. A nice leisurely 7am wake-up call is a luxury for your little swimming crush.

10. Don’t be the bad influence. Don’t be the guy or gal that tells their swimmer, “Oh, it’s just one morning workout.” The routine of a competitive swimmer doesn’t leave a lot of time for extracurriculars. This is the sacrifice that they have chosen to make. If you put them in a place where they have to choose between the sport they love and you, odds are pretty good you won’t like the answer.

11. When we say we are too tired to hang out, we actually are. Sure, the “I’m so tired” excuse might come across as suspect when it comes from a non-swimmer, but when your prospective datee says, “I can’t feel my shoulders and can’t move from the couch” they mean it.

12. Have our back. We don’t need you to obsess over the sport we love, nor do we want you at every one of our practices and meets (it’s great to have a non-swimming element in our life to provide balance, after all). But we certainly do appreciate someone who is a positive influence and is supportive as we tumble along the journey of swimming competitively.

9 questions about the dating app Hinge you were too embarrassed to ask

9 questions about the dating app Hinge you were too embarrassed to ask :


1) What is Hinge, in a sentence?

Hinge is a smartphone dating app, available for iPhones/iPads and Android devices, that's oriented toward relationships rather than hookups and tries to match you with people your friends know and can vouch for.

2) How does Hinge work?

The basics of Hinge are very similar to Tinder. When you sign up, you are presented with a list of fellow users according to criteria you specify (age, gender, physical proximity to you); if you like them and they like you back, you're matched and can message each other. In both apps, you build your profile by importing pictures and other personal information from Facebook.
But that's where the similarities end. While Tinder gives you a never-ending stream of nearby users, Hinge only provides a select list. Previous iterations of the app gave users new potential matches once a day, but now matches come in a regular trickle, like Tinder but with lower volume.

The main difference, though, is that Hinge focuses on matching you with people you share Facebook friends with, if you have a Facebook account. If nobody is friends with your friends — or if you've already made your way through all those potential matches — the app starts recommending more tangential connections, like people whose Facebook friends share Facebook friends with you. But the focus is on finding people who are somewhere in your social network. Tinder will tell you if a user happens to have mutual friends with you, but you can't screen to see those users first.

3) Okay, what does this look like in practice?

Here's a typical screen a Hinge user will see upon opening the app:

Are Shraddha Kapoor-Aditya Roy Kapur dating?




According to a report on mid-day.com, rumoured couple Aditya Roy Kapur and Shraddha Kapoor have parted ways over 'space' issues. Despite claiming to be ‘just good friends’, the couple was spotted together in the dead of the night a couple of times. The report quoted a source saying that the two were going through a rough patch since the last few months, as Aditya wanted his own space, which then took a toll on Shraddha before she decided to call it quits. The report quoted another source saying that the decision to part ways was mutual as both the actors were keeping busy with their professional commitments.



According to a Mid-day report, Aashiqui 2 actors, Shraddha Kapoor and Aditya Roy Kapur are back together as a couple. Reportedly, the duo parted their ways a few months ago for reasons best known to them. There were rumours that Aditya was feeling stifled and wanted a little more space, stated the report. However, it looks like the busy actors have once again found love and time for each other, the report concluded.

Read further to know more about Shraddha and Aditya's love story....

Are Shraddha Kapoor-Aditya Roy Kapur dating?




According to a report on Mid-day.com, actor Aditya Roy Kapur brushed aside questions regarding his love life, saying his date was non-existent. The Aashiqui actor was linked to his co-star Shraddha Kapoor and two were rumoured to be dating. While neither have clarified their relationship status, news about the duo dating have always made the rounds.The actor was walking the ramp for Tom Tailor at the ongoing Lakme Fashion Week Summer-Resort 2015.

While the alleged couple were also rumoured to have broken up, read on to know if they reconciled!

Why old school dating will make you happier than trolling Tinder

It wasn’t a quick swipe right on Tinder, but rather two months in a small acting workshop in Hell’s Kitchen that brought together Conrad Catton and Nadia Manzoor.
“We had a long scene [we were working on together], and we just kept spending time together getting to know each other,” Manzoor, a 32-year-old British improv actress, recalls. “I was not trying to fall in love. I was kind of done with men.”
After months of rehearsals, Manzoor and Catton performed for classmates, who commented that they had great chemistry.
“We finished the scene, and it was like, ‘Hey, we should hang out!’” Manzoor, says. They started dating promptly after, and have been going strong for two years.

Why old school dating will make you happier than trolling Tinder

While Tinder, OkCupid, Hinge and other fast and furious apps dominate the dating scene, some New Yorkers are realizing that slower, more old-fashioned methods can be more successful.
“A lot of people [say], ‘I want to be on these apps, but they’re so much about hooking up,’ and they’re getting kind of sick of that,” says dating expert Andrea Syrtash, the author of “He’s Just Not Your Type (And That’s a Good Thing).” “When you take the time to get to know someone offline, you’re learning about someone and their character and their values.”
It worked for Queens couple Stephanie Chan, 26, and Jien Cheng, 30. The pair met through a mutual friend five years ago and spent time at sporting events and bars platonically for an entire year, never thinking of romance until Cheng joked about it.
“I said, ‘I call dibs if you’re ever on the market again,’ ” says Cheng. “Friends kept teasing me, because we were always together, and then we talked about it and realized we may possibly like each other.”
Though both were anxious on their first official date, the transition from friends to lovers was fairly easy.
“He already fit in so well with my circle and my family,” Chan says. “And when you’re friends, you tend to be a little bit more honest than when you’re dating somebody. He knew a lot of my pros and cons.”

“You get to know the person a lot better than meeting someone at a bar or on Tinder,” adds Cheng, who’s long been leery of the quick-paced dating app world. “When you’re friends, you know a lot about each other already and in the end you’re not like, ‘swipe, swipe, swipe.’”
Syrtash says that, especially for women, when romance isn’t in the forefront of their minds, it can almost be easier to develop a solid connection.
“I’ve interviewed so many women who accidentally fell in love with great guys that were friends,” she says. “They didn’t imagine a future at first so they just naturally, organically had a relationship that formed, and through time with these people they grew to really appreciate them.”
That was certainly the case for Manzoor and Catton. They got engaged this fall, and the two thespians are set to wed in October in Catton’s hometown of Montreal.
For them, the slow burn really paid off.
“If you actually want to find something you want to commit to, you have to be willing to give it time,” Conrad says.

Get Hinged! Singles and India's newest dating app

Get Hinged! Singles and India's newest dating app: This week, the international dating app, Hinge, launched in Mumbai. Kareena Gianani speaks to its CEO, Justin McLeod and India CEO, Samir Kapadia about the app which connects people only through common friends and social networks, and what it adds to the dating scene in India



It seems no discussion about the dating app Hinge can occur without the mention of Tinder, its stiffest competitor. Justin McLeod, Hinge CEO, knows that, and seems to have taken it in his stride.

Justin Mcleod, CEO and founder of Hinge, with Sameer Kapadia, its India CEO. Pic/Satyajit Desai
Justin Mcleod, CEO and founder of Hinge, with Sameer Kapadia, its India CEO. Pic/Satyajit Desai 

"Tinder didn't even exist when I launched Hinge in 2011, but this is how it is now. I like to think that Tinder is the MySpace of dating, while Hinge is the Facebook of the space," he says emphatically.


Better than Tinder?
On Thursday, McLeod and Samir Kapadia, the app's India CEO, launched the app in Mumbai after raising $21 million in funding. Currently, the app is present in London, Toronto and 34 US cities.
To come back to the app, and Tinder of course – they look similar; users swipe right or left depending on whom they like. The difference, however, is in the detail – in who actually pops up on your screen. While people whom Tinder matches are usually strangers, Hinge matches people within the social networks you have built over time.
"The app's algorithm connects you with people you or your friends know. It works on the lines of meeting a friend's friend at a dinner party, which, in the real world, too, is where potential matches happen often," says McLeod. Kapadia likens the app to bumping into that girl you saw at a friend's wedding but never spoke to.
A user's profile shows their first name and last name's initial, hometown, educational and work details, height, ethnicity and 16 photographs which the app pulls from their Facebook profile.
McLeod and Kapadia aren't fans of dating websites and apps that make users fill out lengthy forms to determine preferences. According to the duo, Hinge works on the principle that an app cannot know more about you than yourself.
"The app is here to help you get in touch with people who are a bit more credible than their forms, people whom your friends could vouch for. You meet people organically," says McLeod.


Love through friendship
McLeod first thought of Hinge when he hesitated to join dating websites in the US and was looking to meet new people. "Trawling through online forums to meet someone wasn't my idea of romance.
I wished to meet somebody whom I shared something in common with — the schools we went to, the people we hung out with, some common social and cultural ground… What I wanted, in short, was a curated introduction, which is what Hinge offers."
He disagrees that connecting people only within their social networks limits the dating pool. "We connect singles separated by two or a maximum of three friends. An average Indian Facebook user has 500 users.
So, if you're single, 500 friends can help you make connections with a couple of hundred singles they might be friends with, and so on," explains McLeod. Hinge, he adds, is somewhere in the middle of dating websites and apps which require a lot of work but throw up irrelevant people (like Mashup in the US), or those that need no work and throw up hoardes of matches without much of a filter. "Hinge hits the sweet spot of 'social'," he adds.
McLeod decided to launch the app in India because it is Facebook's largest market after the US — 112 million Indians use it —and Hinge relies on the social network website to connect users. "But how India dates today is just as much a reason to be here," he says. Kapadia feels that between matrimony websites like Shaadi.com and "too-casual" ones such as Tinder, singles who are looking for something meaningful have fewer avenues beyond OkCupid, and none when it comes to meeting people through friends.


Designs for India
The duo vehemently denies having used any other dating app. For now, anyway, their dating life has taken a backseat, they claim, as they need to crack the code when it comes to launching Hinge in other metros and, eventually, in Tier-II Indian cities over this year.
"We do not know what the socio-cultural challenges will be like. The version of the app we have launc-hed in Mumbai is the same that singles in the US use. But we're sure meeting that special someone through friends feels the same everywhere," they say with wide grins.