Ah, the beginning of a new year and love is rampant on Myspace-Linda is reminiscing about first dates; Sarah is relishing in the first kiss; and the lovely Amanda is wondering whether a man should ask before kissing or just go for the plunge (hint: go for it!).I find myself longing for that feeling of love again. Don't get me wrong, I have no problem with being single, I'm pretty busy with work, school and Church , I've been walking and writing as well. , and well, God knows how much time Myspace takes up these days!

But I miss being part of a couple. You know, being part of something bigger than yourself? That feeling that together you can do or be anything?Reading all of the comments and watching everyone share their stories, I've thought about giving internet dating another try. Several years ago, I tried it for a few months- I met several nice guys, several not so nice guys, but I just never met anyone that clicked. No one that had that spark. I eventually met someone and was in a relationship for two years but alas, I find myself in Singlesville once again. Yesterday I lurked on one site just to see what was out there- kind of like checking out the local car lot when you're in the market for a car. You sort of know what you want, but you want to look around just in case there's a model you hadn't considered before.

I was surprised at how nervous I was...Eeek! Do I really want to put myself out there again? Will it be any different this time? I don't know what I was afraid of, I just was. When I was little, I used to watch a lot of scary movies and, shock of all shockers, I was also afraid of the dark (now I'm afraid of ghosts and my house is haunted- only me). I was convinced there was something evil under the bed.

I had ALL the rules down solid:1. Tuck feet in under the covers so it can't grab your toe and suck you down into the black hole under the bed...'cause hello? That's where it came from!2. Have a lamp by the bed that you can reach over to turn off the light. God forbid if I would have to get out of bed to flip the switch! But, on those rare occasions, I would take two steps towards the bed and then JUMP on the bed to avoid him grabbing my leg (apparently this horrible, scary monster only had a two foot reach).3. NEVER get out of bed until daylight- there must've been some vampire quality in him...hhhmmm.4. ALWAYS, ALWAYS have a radio on when you're sleeping 'cause everyone knows monsters hate music, right? And, on the outside chance this monster liked music, the radio would drown out any noises he made so I wouldn't hear him. Pretty smart, eh?So here I am, older and wiser and yet feeling just as intimidated as I was a long time ago- only this monster is more real.

Internet dating is a little different than meeting someone at a bar or an event. When you meet someone in person, you get a feel for them, you get a sense of who they are and, better yet, you can gauge their reaction during your discussion- maybe feel totally relaxed and open or pull back a little if necessary

On the internet, you need to overcome the proverbial first impression- without any chance to correct any misperceptions. I mentioned on another blog that perception is 99% of reality in today's world. For example, look at my page. I've given a very specific impression and, given your viewpoint, it could be good or bad. But I don't get a second chance to change it- once you've seen it, you can either want to get to know me or move on. You could assume specific things that could be completely wrong or get me spot on

Given all my insecurities, I thought I would invite you guys to help me and poke the tires a bit, maybe a test drive or two...so give me some advice- what should I say on my dating page? And I don't want to see 'be yourself' 'be honest'...I need specifics, should I just be general and maybe they'll contact me to know more? Or be very specific? Should I talk about me or more what I'm looking for? If you've ever done the internet dating thing, what worked for you?