Online Dating Magazine
 Authoritative Insight Into the World of Online Dating

Online Dating Newsletter
Volume 2, Number 14 - July 13, 2005
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Table of Contents
1. From the Editor
2. Creative Date Ideas: Educate Your Date
3. Online Dating Tips: Create a Call to Action
4. Relationship Tips: Thank You for Listening
5. Relationship Quote of the Week
6. Inspirational Quote of the Week
7. Romantic Ideas: Note on the Car
8. News: Senior FriendFinder Reports 400% Increase in Dating Seniors
9. Feature Link: One User's Bad Online Dating Experiences
10. Online Dating Newsletter Updates

From the Editor

The first development is that we've uploaded the final two cartoons in our 20-week run of "Clicking Together". You can view the final two cartoons by going to the cartoon page and clicking 19 & 20 under the archives. We hope that you enjoyed this special feature.

The second development is that the Online Dating Newsletter will have one more issue (July 27) before going into temporary hiatus in order to launch a new, improved, and revised newsletter. We think you'll greatly enjoy the revisions, even though it will take a few months to craft and prepare. In December you'll receive a final issue of the Online Dating Newsletter, before the new newsletter and format launch in early January 2006. Expect some major changes, including a name change and possible new Website. The newsletter will be targetted more towards relationships and dating versus such a heavy emphasis on online dating.

Thank you for your time and for your participation to make the newsletter and Website a better experience for everyone. We thank you for your understanding during this time as we prepare to undergo major renovations and upgrades to the newsletter format and style. We hope you'll enjoy the changes, even though you won't see them until early January.

Cheers to you,

Joe Tracy, editor
Online Dating Newsletter

P.S. I look forward to reading and publishing your experience. Please email yours today to jtracy@onlinedatingnewsletter.com

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Creative Date Ideas: Educate Your Date
An intellectual connection with your partner is important. So why not theme one of your dates around education and learning? Trust us, this doesn't have to be boring! Take your date out to an art or technology museum to jumpstart the learning. This is also a great opportunity to learn more about your partner's likes and dislikes. Listen as he or she voices their opinion on different styles of art or technological advances. Any extra knowledge about your partner is good, and taking your partner to a museum could help you gain knowledge you may not have figured out otherwise.

After the museum trip, it will probably be time to get a bite to eat. Instead of going to a restaurant, sign up in advance for the two of you to take a cooking class together. You will undoubtedly learn a bit more about cooking and can have a satisfying meal as a result.

If you are accustomed to giving gifts during your date, make sure your gift is also themed around learning. Give your significant other a copy of your favorite book or documentary. Not only is this date a chance to advance your own learning, it is also a chance to learn more about your partner and for your partner to learn more about you. (SOURCE: Online Dating Newsletter - www.onlinedatingnewsletter.com)

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Online Dating Tips: Create a Call to Action
In the world of advertising, successful advertisers have mastered the art of creating a "call to action". A call to action is a directive to the reader of the ad. They've finished reading the ad, now what? A call to action answers that question. This method is also successful in the non-advertising environment. For example, in this week's editorial I created a call to action. At the conclusion of my editorial was a PS asking you to send your online dating or relationship experience. It was an important directive.

Call to actions in online dating profiles can also be successful when done right. You've posted a fun an interesting profile, now create a fun and interesting call to action to end your profile. For example, a call to action from a gold digger might be, "so if you have a lot of money and need someone fun to spend it on, then send me an email right now because time is money." Of course, you're no gold digger, so you'll be looking for something more sincere. Something like, "I'm just a wink or an email away" or "so take a quick moment to say hi right now because like the Doritos commercial says, 'if not now, when?" Basically you want to end your profile by telling the reader what to do next in a friendly and/or creative way. And like with ads, you'll find that a good call to action, accompanying your well-written profile, will increase the number of inquiries you receive. (SOURCE: Online Dating Newsletter - www.onlinedatingnewsletter.com)

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Relationship Tips: Thank You for Listening
We all want to be listened to and understood when explaining an issue to our partner, and, we don't want that ability to listen to ever fade. Because we want to hold onto and further develop the correct forms of communication, it is necessary to make an active effort to acknowledge when your partner is really listening to you. After you have ranted about something on your mind and you walk away from the conversation feeling like your partner was really listening, let your partner know you appreciate his or her attention and understanding. Thank them for being such a good listener and for taking the time out to allow you to freely express what is on your mind. Remember, if you experience a time where your significant other is being a good listener, call it to their attention through appreciation and you will most likely see that behavior repeat itself. (SOURCE: Online Dating Newsletter - www.onlinedatingnewsletter.com)

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Relationship Quote of the Week
"Guard well within yourself that treasure, kindness. Know how to give without hesitation, how to lose without regret, how to acquire without meanness." - George Sand

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Inspirational Quote of the Week
"Ideals are like stars: you will not succeed in touching them with your hands, but like the seafaring man on the ocean desert of waters, you choose them as your guides, and following them, you reach your destiny." - Carl Schurz

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Romantic Ideas: Note on the Car
This romantic idea doesn't cost very much money, but can be very effective in brightening your significant other's day immensely. It's simple. Take a piece of paper and write a short love note on the paper. Go to your date's car while it is parked at home, work, the mall, wherever, and place the note on the windshield of the car. The note can be as simple as "I'm thinking of you" or "Wishing you a great day" with your name attached; or can be something lengthier like a short poem or song lyrics. When your partner goes to their car on their lunch break or on they way to the store, they will notice the note and be impressed and excited that you took a few minutes out of your day to bring them a happy surprise. This is just another example of how going that extra mile can really improve your relationship. (SOURCE: Online Dating Newsletter - www.onlinedatingnewsletter.com)

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News: Senior FriendFinder Reports 400% Increase in Dating Seniors
(July 13, 2005 - onlinedatingnewsletter.com) A recent rise in online dating within the senior community may indicate that seniors are becoming increasingly more comfortable on the Web, specifically when it comes to Internet dating. According to Senior FriendFinder, the number of people joining its site has increased 476 percent since 2001. The site now has more than 400,000 members, up from 91,847 in June 2001.

"We find many seniors are increasingly comfortable with the Internet and jumping into online activities, from planning trips to sharing photos to meeting new people," says Andrew Conru, president and CEO of Various Inc., the parent company of Senior FriendFinder. "The growth of the senior segment has been tremendous and shows that age doesn't have to be a barrier to adopting useful technology."

Senior FriendFinder was launched in 1999 when Conru saw an increasing number of seniors joining the company's flagship site, FriendFinder and realized seniors might like a site focused on them and their interests.

And while many seniors are simply looking for new friends, often after the passing of their spouse, others are looking for a deeper relationship and dozens of couples have married after meeting on the site.

Says Conru: "Online dating offers seniors a way to make new friends and meet potential dates, all at their own pace, with complete anonymity."

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Feature Link: One User's Bad Online Dating Experiences
A 26-year-old woman from California relates 10 online dating experiences she's had and concludes that online dating just isn't for her. How bad were her experiences? Well, she claims that "Internet dating is about the worse experience I have ever had." Read about her experiences by clicking here.

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Online Dating Newsletter Updates
A new "Clicking Together" cartoon, number 20 in our 20-week series, has been uploaded to the Online Dating Newsletter Website. Click here to view it. We hope that you enjoyed this 20-week adventure into the humorous side of online dating.

A new joke has been added to the Online Dating Newsletter Dating Fun Zone. Click here to view the new Dating Jokes section.

The Online Dating Newsletter is emailed free of charge to those subscribed every Tuesday. Click here to subscribe.

Editor: Joe Tracy (jtracy@onlinedatingmagazine.com)
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