It’s difficult to get a real sense of the actual person. You mostly get their version of them, sort of like a highlight reel.

And with people sometimes carefully crafting their response or reply, its not always easy to know what kind of personality they have, or what they’re really like.

If you’re new to online dating, or maybe you’ve been at it a while but it doesn’t seem to be going well, you may be be pleased to know that Harper College in Illinois is offering a one day class for online dating.

Ava Whaley, who met her husband online, offers her students instruction on setting up a promising profile on a variety of different dating sites to where to meet and what to say when meeting offline.

“Even with all its pitfalls, it’s the best way to meet people today.”

Although the media often portray online dating in a negative light, there’s no denying its the best way to expand your personal network beyond friends, family or co-workers in hopes of finding someone new you might be compatible with.

Where’s the love? Wikipedia, in all its collective wisdom, has this to say about our most elusive objective. Does True Love exist only in movies and music?

True love may refer to:

Film

• True Love (1989 film), directed by Nancy Savoca
• True Love (1992 film), starring Maggie Cheung
• True Love (2004 film), an LGBT-related film
• True Love, a 2005 film directed by Kyi Soe Tun

Music

• “True Love” (song), by Cole Porter
• True Love (Pat Benatar album)
• True Love (Crystal Gayle album)
• True Love (Toots & the Maytals album)
• “True Love” (Elliott Smith song)
• “True Love” (Lil’ Romeo song)
• “True Love” (Soldiers of Jah Army song)
• “True Love”, a song by Angels & Airwaves from I-Empire
• “True Love,” a song by Madina Lake from From Them, Through Us, to You

Other uses

• True Love (video game)
• “True Love” (short story), by Isaac Asimov
• “True Love” (Dawson’s Creek episode)

See also

• The Truelove
• Romance (love)

Just in time for Valentine’s Day, take this quizz to determine if your love is true. I think you fail if you start off with anything but answer a) in this first question…

1)  Your partner is returning after three days on a business trip and you: 

Answer the rest at : http://health.discovery.com/centers/loverelationships/quizzes/truelove.html

The research highlights how social cues, which signal the extent to which others are attracted to you, also play a crucial role in attraction.

The University of Aberdeen study, Integrating Facial Attractiveness And Cues Of Social Attractiveness, is worth a look for active singles that are currently dating.

When it comes to online dating, there’s no time like the present. Online dating memberships double in January according to the The Telegraph in London. This month is expected to be the best month ever as online dating becomes more accepted and effective at finding love.

The winter holiday season can be extremely lonely without a date or a loved one to share the season with. New Year’s Eve parties and Christmas gatherings abound, and driven partly by a look back on life at the end of a year, and also by the look forward through a bevy of New Year’s resolutions, singles lose their inhibitions and open up new accounts with the world’s hundreds of dating sites.

There are lots of little things (often about the little things) and doing many of these will get the odds stacked in your favor. Some of these are about you, and some are easy to do and can go a long way.

Treating Her Like a Lady

Opening her door, getting her drink order, being attentive, paying attention to her during conversation and showing interest. These are all easy to do, and if you can’t do it well and look sincere (or better, be sincere) then there is no need to attempt faking it as you’ll be called on it.

Showing Her A Good Time

Taking her out to a great place to dine is always a small win, but even that can get old. Try something off the beaten path that’s still a good experience. It doesn’t have to always be a 5 star night out. Sometimes the best dates are the ones full of surprises and memories. Trying something new can be great, but a word to the wise, its better if you’ve given it a trial run with friends or business associates. Taking her to a little bistro, and a night out learning to salsa, not that you’d salsa with your co-workers. But you might dine out with them, and discovering new places with them can take risk out of a date. Somewhere not to casual and not too fancy is often just right.

The Little Things

Running to the store when she’s out of something while preparing dinner for the two of you, or even if she just has a craving for something. It can go a long way if you show her she’s the only woman in the world for you when you two are together.

Like ignoring cell phone calls when possible. Yes, there can be some cell phone emergencies, and you’d simply need to excuse yourself while you take a call. Having her take precedence over your calls goes a long way.

It’s give and take, and that means you should be willing to go shopping with her one or two times a month without a fuss. This also gives you the opportunity to not notice other women while with her. This specific trait can make or break a relationship and should be practiced to perfection.

The thing to remember is that these are not peace offerings or something you do once, but actual traits you develop and practice. Doing so can help keep you in her good books and keep the relationship moving forward.