Monthly Archives: August 2016

Key to successful dating online

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The key to successful dating online is a well-written user profile. A profile is the unique, customizable area on an online dating site that contains biographical information about yourself, as well as photographs and details about what you’re looking for in a potential mate.

New user’s profile must include 4 parts—the picture, the headline, the username and the paragraph.

The Picture

  • Stay recent and real. All pictures should be taken within the last six months and feature a head shot, as well as a full body shot.
  • Avoid pictures of yourself with either too many props or too many other people. Your main picture should be just you, and not you wearing sunglasses or you holding your dog. Use those photos for the supplemental pictures.
  • Update photos as much as possible. You can use photos from recent vacations as well as those that feature you taking part in a hobby you enjoy.
  • Don’t include too many pictures of you with other people.

The Username

  • Don’t be too esoteric. Don’t pick something that will likely go over people’s heads or come off as inaccessible.
  • If the name you want is taken, don’t try to force one. Make it easy to figure out what it means.
  • Stay clear of anything too provocative.

The Headline or Status Line

  • Your headline should answer a basic question such as “What am I looking for?” And  the answer should be fun and playful and prompt people to want to click into your profile to get to know you better.
  • Like the username, stay away from being too clever.

The Description

  • Create three separate paragraphs. The first should be about who you are and what you like to do. The second should contain things such as your pet peeves and personal quirks—anything that is unique and stands out from the crowd. The last paragraph should detail what your life looks likes now, including the most recent movies you’ve seen, books you’ve read or places you’ve visited.
  • Be brief. No one wants to read a novel and users should be careful about sharing too much.
  • Be as unique as possible. Specificity is what makes you stand out.
  • Spell check.

Source: OPRAH

Safe online dating tips

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With a few simple tips and tricks and a bit of thought you can be dating safely online in no time (source: The Love Queen)!

Don’t take things too quickly.

Exchange at least a couple of messages back and forth on the dating site before giving out your e-mail address, phone number or Skype information. This will give you time to observe your potential date’s social skills. If she seems overly impulsive, you might want to nip things in the bud rather than proceeding any further.  Some people set up a separate disposable e-mail address solely for online suitors. That way, if someone becomes too persistent in their attentions to you, you can just abandon the temporary e-mail address. After the potential object of your affections has displayed the ability to write intelligent e-mails, move on to phone conversations and/or video chat. If you have any reason to suspect that her profile includes a fake or out-of-date photo, the latter means of communication enables you to verify the identity.

Catfishers, fake profiles and scammers.

Internet dating fraud situations most often occur when hundreds or thousands of miles separate the victim and the fake persona created by a con artist so try to avoid long distance people. One way to avoid catfishers is to do a reverse google image search for their profile picture. If you see lots of results coming up you have found something dodgy!

Do a little bit of online detective work.

Companies often review a job candidate’s social media profiles before making a job offer. There’s nothing wrong with something similar before embarking on a romance with the woman you met online. If her Facebook profile reveals she’s still married to the man she describes as an ex, you can bow out before you become “the other man.” If her Twitter timeline includes racist jokes, you can spare yourself future social awkwardness by not pursuing the relationship. Naturally, there are limits to this kind of activity. You don’t want to turn into a stalker. But looking up public information about a potential girlfriend can help you weed out unsuitable candidates for your affection.

Money = red flag.

You may think it can’t happen to you, but everyone who has ever been conned used to think that, too. Most of us can become a bit too trusting when our hearts and/or hormones are on the line. No matter how sincere the person seems, no matter how attractive she appears, head for the door if there’s a story about needing anything more than cabfare. Similarly, be suspicious of anyone who offers you expensive gifts like airfare to a foreign country.

Russian wedding traditions

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Russian traditional wedding is different from what people are used to in the United States, Canada, Mexico or Europe. There are no rehearsals, bridesmaids, and flower girls. The best man and the maid of honor are called “witnesses” or in Russian “svideteli”. The wedding celebration usually lasts for two days (or more) and requires preparation of about 1 to 6 months. The registration of marriage takes place at the department of public services or in Russian – “ZAGS”. Nowadays many couples also choose the church ceremony (source: Barynya).

1. Ransom for the bride

The groom is coming to the bride’s home with his closest friends and relatives. To get the bride he has to pay some ransom to the folks on the bride’s side. Everything is played out as a joke and both sides are mostly competing in the sense of humor. After getting the bride, the couple gets out of the house into the car (usually limousine) to go for the marriage registration. On the way from the house to the car groom and his crew also have to deal with the neighbors and kids, who all want coins, candies and free drinks. In return neighbors solute the couple and sprinkle them with coins and rice.

2. Orthodox marriage ceremony

If the couple decides to get married in the Russian Orthodox Church, the ceremony is usually 30 to 120 minutes long with all the Russian orthodox traditions taking place. Orthodox marriage ceremony is well described in Tolstoy’s books and other classical literature. I just have to mention that the ceremony is very beautiful and is almost breathtaking both for the couple and the guests.

3. Civil ceremony

The civil ceremony takes place at the department of public services (“ZAGS”). At the entry to the registration hall the couple is greeted by the guests with bread and salt. Afterwards they are led by the receptionist inside the hall, where the actual ceremony is held. The ceremony is about 15 minutes long and at the end of it the couple exchanges rings, says “I do” and signs the book of registry. Then they are pronounced the man and wife and walk out of the hall to the music of Mendelssohn played by the Russian Wedding Orchestra. The civil ceremony is an official part of the wedding but the real celebration starts afterwards.

4. Limousine and places

After the official part, it is customary for the bride and groom, and some of their close friends and relatives to go on a tour of the historic sites of the city, taking pictures and drinking champagne. In Moscow, popular stops include the Red Square, Grave of the Unknown Soldier and Sparrow Hills near Moscow State University. Usually by the end of the tour many guests are already singing and dancing.

5. Russian wedding reception

But all of the above is just a prelude to the main celebration – the gala feast! Unlike wedding receptions in the West, Russian wedding receptions are very loud and they last for two days or sometimes even longer. They include a lot of Russian music, singing, dancing, long toasts, and the abundance of food and drinks to go with it. The guests love to sing Russian traditional songs to the sounds of accordion, bayan or garmoshka.

Bread and salt

It is offered to the newlyweds by both parents as a symbol of health, prosperity and long life. Both bride and groom must take a bite of the bread and the one that takes the largest bite will be the head of the family!

Wedding toasts and broken glasses

At the beginning of the reception a relative or close friend makes a wedding toast to the bride and groom. By Russian tradition everyone throws their champagne glasses on the floor and it is considered a good luck if the glasses break when they hit the ground.

Stealing the bride

The groom should constantly keep his eyes on the bride. If the bride gets out of the groom’s sight, she could be stolen by his friends and the groom will have to pay the ransom.

5. Day number two

Celebration goes on with no less fun than the day before. After some rest more drinking, singing, dancing, and fighting takes place. Never miss the second day of the traditional Russian wedding.  There is a rule that the second day of the Russian wedding celebration is even more fun than the first day.

 

Top 7 tips for online daters

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Internet dating has come a long way. There’s no longer a stigma to finding love online.  The Online Dating Association says it is now the largest single way in which relationships start in the UK.  It definitely works, but to make the most of online dating here are the experts top 7 tips (source: WebMD).

1. Don’t be too choosy

When you are going through the reams of potential partners on the internet – or when you meet them on a date – it’s all too easy to have a shopping list mentality. ‘He’s too short, I don’t like her eyes, or he doesn’t make enough money’.

Try turning down the volume on your inner critic on a superficial front, you may just discover you’re a better judge of character, and are better able to decide if your date is someone that you connect with on a new level.

2. Be honest

It’s tempting to stretch the truth when writing your profile or use a photo from ten years ago. But the advice is not to do it, as your date may be disappointed when you meet in person. Just as your online dating profile should accurately represent who you really are, your dating encounters should be equally as authentic. Don’t pretend to be someone that you’re not in an effort to impress a potential partner. Be genuine, and let your character and charm speak for themselves.

3. Beware of exaggeration

Even if you are honest about yourself, expect a degree of exaggeration from potential partners. They are trying to sell themselves to you so may over egg their attributes and achievements.

They are bound to look better in their profile photo. No-one is going to post a picture of them at their worst. Beware phrases like ‘carrying a few extra pounds’ or ‘cuddly’.  Read between the lines in profiles.

4. Narrow your focus

Online dating can be a real time-saver if you know exactly what you want.  For example, if you definitely don’t want a partner with children, remove that option straight off. Likewise, if it’s important that a date lives in your area you can weed the rest out.

5. Stay safe

Never give out personal information or send money to anyone. Use your first name only and give personal details only when you have got to know each other well. Follow your instincts. If you get a bad vibe, steer clear.

Meet in a public place like a cafe or pub. Tell a friend where you are going and who with and when to expect you back. Make sure you don’t get drunk.

6. Less is more at first

Don’t give too much away too soon. Gradually reveal details about yourself and don’t post photos that are overly sexy.

7. Get ready for rejection

Don’t take a rejection to heart. Just because you didn’t connect with one date, it doesn’t mean it’s your fault. They may want someone who is a different age or lives closer to them.

It works both ways. You may like someone as a person, but feel no romantic connection to them – so feel free to say no to dates that you know won’t work.