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Latest News
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Online dating turns sour, but don't retaliate
I met an online acquaintance several months ago. After eventually meeting, I soon realized that I didn't love her the way I thought I did. During our relationship, she would want to talk on the phone upward of six times a day because of her history of seeing guys who betrayed her trust.
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Online dating turns sour, but don't retaliate
I met an online acquaintance several months ago. After eventually meeting, I soon realized that I didn't love her the way I thought I did. During our relationship, she would want to talk on the phone upward of six times a day because of her history of seeing guys who betrayed her trust.
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What's hot in online dating?
Millions of possibilities. Find one today! Take 30 seconds to sign up below. It's quick, easy and FREE! There are millions of photos and profiles of people just like you on Match.com. Just sign up and start searching through them today for free. You never know who you will meet!
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Know an outdoorsy online-dating success story?
Seems like about 80 percent of the Coloradans on online dating Web sites claim to love outdoor activities (or so we are told).
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Like Online Dating Sites, The Web Matches Voters, Presidential Candidates
Several websites are offering compass headings to voters who feel lost in the big field of presidential candidates.
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Economist to put archive dating back to 1843 online
More than 160 years of articles from the Economist are set to become available online. By Stephen Brook.
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Fun Dating Ideas
Whether you're a couple of single looking for fun dating ideas, this article may be handy for you. I've put together a list of 31 Fun Dating Ideas that will make it easier for you the next time you're stumped and trying to find something enjoyable to do. Some of these will be expensive, others will cost you hardly anything. But the main focus, from my perspective, was to make sure they sounded FUN.
Here's the initial list.
- Walk on the beach. When polled as to their favorite and most
romantic first date, a vast majority of people said a walk on the
beach. This is great if you live NEAR a beach. If you don't, consider a
walk in the park, a walk by a stream or lake, or other romantic water
setting that enables you to get exercise in nature, along with a chance
to get to know each other better. Popularity: 10. Fun Factor: 8. Cost:
free. The expanded version of this is to take a portable fire pit and
roast marshmallows around the fire after you watch the sunset over a
glass of wine. That's a little more elaborate but adds to the fun
factor if you have the time.
- Cup 'o Joe. This may not
seem like a date to some people, but sometimes, if you only have 30 -
60 minutes, a brief meeting over coffee, tea, or other beverage in a
nice coffee house can be a nice setting where you can better get to
know each other and determine what you have in common. For couples
who've been together for a while, a cup of coffee gives you a chance to
reconnect. Popularity: 9. Fun Factor: 3. Cost: less than $10
- Cozy
up to a fire. Nothing like snuggling up in front of a fireplace with a
glass of wine together. Watch the sparks and share stories from
fireside sessions before. Popularity: 6. Fun Factor: 7. Cost: Free (or
a bundle of wood and some matches).
- Comedy club. While
it costs a little to go out to a comedy club, laughing together at
silly or funny comedians is always a fun date. Popularity: 9. Fun
Factor: 9. Cost: $30 - 50.
- Be a tourist in your old
home town. I did this last summer on a vacation back to San Francisco.
My girlfriend and I took turns taking pictures of all sorts in popular
spots, like museums, restaurants, and other landmarks. The whole idea
was to pretend we were a tourist and capture "moments" from our
vacation on film. I've never had so much fun taking pictures, and our
photos from that trip are still my favorite. This is more fun if you're
in a larger city than a small town, but you can find "spots" for photos
in either. Popularity: 9. Fun Factor: 9. Cost: a couple rolls of film
(or free if you've gone digital)
- Treasure Hunt. This
requires some advanced planning. But, if you have a little money, and a
day of time for preparation, you can have a ton of fun taking photos of
your partner as they "discover" all the clues you've left them. It can
be as simple as a backyard hunt or as elaborate as cross-town
clue-chasing. It's all up to you. Popularity: 9/5 (it takes work and
imagination on one party to entertain the other one) Fun Factor: 9/5.
Cost: Varies.
- Finger Painting. I know, it sounds
juvenile. I got this idea when a friend of mine hosted a "bring your
own spray paint" party at his art gallery. At the part, he left out his
acrylic paints and a huge canvas. See this, I started to work on my own
masterpiece. I noticed this was fun as a group activity, too. I hadn't
painted since Junior High, so it was a blast for me! Acrylics can be
expensive, so you might want to start with finger paints. Popularity: 7
(some dig, some don't). Fun Factor: 7. Cost: $25 - 30.
- Board
Games. In the early years of dating my ex-wife, my sister and her
husband used to get together with us and we'd play card games or
pictionary. It's a lot more fun if your partner can draw or guess what
you drew. Popularity: 6. Fun Factor: 6. Cost: $20 (just for the first
time you buy the game). After that, it's free!
- Virtual
Reality Exploration. Try a go at SECOND LIFE. I found two new friends
the first time I signed up, and one friend led me on a journey to find
a coke machine (dispensed free coke to my avatar), a hover board,
roller skates, and new dance moves. It made it more fun that just
wandering around looking at billboards for clothing. Popularity: 6. Fun
Factor: 5. Cost: Free if you own a modern computer and an Internet
connection.
- Road Trip. The weekend road trips can be
very fun. I love adventuring through nearby forests, finding streams
and rivers, and then getting out of the car for a hike in nature. It's
enjoyable, you learn from each other while on the road, and the only
cost is the gas to get there. Popularity: 9. Fun Factor: 6 - 10
depending. Cost: Usually just gas.
- Shopping. Some guys
hate this. But women usually enjoy it. Just make sure you set-up rules.
Go to two stores that he chooses (can even be Home Depot) and two
stores for her (can even be Victoria's Secret). I know, I just
stereotyped, but, use your own judgement for your guidelines. Help each
other buy things and pick out ideas for an "ideal house" or imagine
you're dressing a mutual friend. That can get crazy! The key is to make
sure it is fun for both of you. Popularity: 5/10. Fun Factor: 7. Cost:
Varies.
- Go Dancing. Okay, it's easy to say "let's go
dancing" but you'd be surprised how many local dance studios offer
"drop-in" dance lessons. Always start with the basics, then work your
way up if you enjoy it. I find Swing and Salsa both highly enjoyable.
If your toes get a little bruised, find a video store that rents
classic movies and pick up Fred Astaire and Ginger Rodgers in the
classic, "Top Hat" which has terrific dancing to make up for your sore
toes. Oh - and a toe massage may be in order. Popularity: 7. Fun
Factor: 8. Cost: $10 per person typically.
- Backyard
Camping. I've never done this, but I read about it. Some kids love it.
Some adults enjoy it, too. Camping in your backyard to me sounds like
an experience of dog-barking, slobber, ants, and lack of a view. If
your own backyard offers a better experience, you might try it.
Popularity: 5. Fun Factor: 5. Cost: Free if you own a tent. BETTER:
REAL Camping. It requires going to a campground, but there's something
to be said to get out of the typical routine of life and spend a couple
of nights around a campfire under the stars. Keep the meals simple (or
better yet, pre-cooked), pick some place closer to home, and it won't
be as much work. Popularity: 8. Fun Factor: 8. Cost: $20 - 50 a night,
in many campgrounds.
- Jam session. Try learning to play
an instrument together. It helps if you have a "how-to" guide and a
decent instrument. This one will be more popular with musicians than
non-musicians, but it's fun for a while for more people. If you already
own instruments, try switching off or learning a song or two together
and pretend you're starting a band. Popularity: 6. Fun Factor: 7. Cost:
Varies.
- Imaginary People. Go someplace new together and
use different names, different occupations, and make up a story for
your past. This can get interesting, as you'll find out how your
partner weaves you into their imaginary story! I've seen this in two
movies, and in both cases, it was pretty funny. The first was in Mad
About You, where Paul and Jamie were on a cruise ship together. It
helps if you're at a potluck, mixer, or other place where interaction
is EXPECTED of you. Only problem: Paul picked a doctor (bad idea, think
about it). The same thing happened in a movie with Sandra Bullock and
Ben Affleck in the movie, Forces of Nature. Popularity: 9. Fun Factor:
9. Cost: Free/depends on where you go.
- Art Museum. This
might sound boring to some people, but I've always found art museums
interesting. My brother, an artist, taught me a fun game you can play
when viewing art. Pick your favorite piece in a room, then explain why
it is your favorite, and how it moves you. You will find yourself
challenges to explain and understand your feelings, as well as
motivations for choosing each piece of art. Popularity: 6. Fun Factor:
6. Cost: $10 or less.
- Come Fly With Me! There are
several versions of this date. One goofy one is fly rubber band
airplanes in a park. Play songs about flying, like Red Hot Chili
Peppers Aeroplane, or Frank Sinatra's "Come Fly With Me" while you're
driving there. Make it a fun theme! I did this in high school and it
was a blast. You can step it up from there, to flying a kite, or get
even more intricate and fly a remote control airplane. Or, if you're
the type who enjoys heights and a bit of a dare, try sky-diving or
bungee-jumping together! Popularity: Varies. Fun Factor: 8. Cost:
Varies.
- A Trip to the Zoo. I've taken someone to the
zoo on a first date and it was a blast. You can enjoy looking at the
animals and have fun playing with the different experiences. A zoo is
fun at all ages. So, if you've missed out on the Zoo lately, check it
out. An aquarium is also cool, if you have one close by (we're lucky to
have the Monterey Aquarium in California). Popularity: 8. Fun Factor:
7. Cost: $20 - 40 per person.
- Meet Me At The Fair. I've
always felt fairs are fun. Usually, I'll go once or twice a year to
hear the live bands. Sometimes, the best bands are the bands playing at
the side stages for free with entrance to the fair. I've seen Hank
Ketchum, War, Ozomotli, and others this way. The fair is also fun
because you have: the FERRIS WHEEL! Ha! You probably thought I was
going to say THE ZIPPER, huh. Well, I puked on the zipper once, so it's
off the list. But the rest of the fair can be a fun change of pace date
- especially if you haven't been for a while. Popularity: 9. Fun
Factor: 8. Cost $7 - 35 per person.
- Amusement
Parks/Disneyland. Amusement parks are fun. I used to have a season pass
to Great America when my girlfriend was this total daredevil. She loved
roller coasters. So, even though I'm scared of heights, I'd conquer my
fear every week and we'd jot over there after work, hit a few roller
coasters, then go out to dinner at Gordon Biersch and listen to the
live jazz bands. All in all, not a bad way to spend an evening with
your honey. If you're close to Disneyland, that can be even more
magical and fun. Popularity: 10. Fun Factor: 9. Cost: $50+ per person.
Season passes help make it a lot less if you're close by.
- Test
Drive Cars Together. Especially, new, sexy, sports cars. There's
nothing more fun than the smell of a new car, and tooling around the
curves of the local mountain road in a Boxster or Thunderbird
convertible. I've made this a "fun date" on two different occasions and
both times it inspired us to dress up (had to look the part of a buyer,
at least), and then talk the salesperson into letting us drive off the
lot with their cherry sporty car! How much fun is that?! Popularity: 8:
Fun Factor: 7. Cost: Free! (Just maybe a little karma cost due to the
white lie you're sure to tell!)
- Canoeing or Kayaking.
If your date loves the water, take them out on a lake or the ocean for
a little kayak or canoe trip. It's a lot of fun. Who knows, if you
bring your fishin' line, you might even catch a trout or bass for
dinner. Popularity: 6. Fun Factor: 6. Cost: $35 per person (unless you
own your own canoe or kayak).
- Cooking A Special Meal
Together. This particular date is a lot more fun if you try a NEW
recipe together. Both of you pick out the ingredients, go shopping,
then roll up your sleeves and get in the kitchen to show off your best
gourmet skills. Popularity: 7. Fun Factor: 6. Cost: Varies. Benefit:
you get to eat what you cook. If you're not up for the challenge of
cooking, take a cooking class together. My experience with the last
cooking class was I ate incredibly good food, watched how they cook,
and ate more yummy food. It was rough, but someone had to do it.
Popularity: 8. Fun Factor: 7. Cost: $50 per person.
- Tour
New Homes. I love touring model homes. Why? Because you get all kinds
of DESIGN IDEAS when you go around touring model homes. You find new
patterns of furniture, drapery, kitchen stylings, carpet, moldings--
you name it. It's especially fun touring multi-million dollar homes and
dreaming a little. For couples, this can serve two purposes, as if you
think you might want to live together, you can learn about each other's
likes and dislikes in a rather harmless way. Popularity: 8. Fun Factor:
7. Cost: Free.
- Go to a Professional Sports Game. Now,
ladies, it's only fair. I've always said, "a wise man shops, a wise
woman watches sports." There's a good reason for this: you balance each
other and show you care about each other's interests/teams. Men bond a
lot through sports. So, the woman who goes with him to professional
sports events is showing she can be real and bond with him. I don't
recommend this for a blind date, though (bad experience). Popularity:
9/6. Fun Factor: 9/6. Cost: $30 - 120 per person.
- Pool
Sharks. I love shooting billiards. A lot of women are surprisingly poor
at it, until you put something worthwhile on the game as "stakes" for
winning or losing. Then, suddenly, she starts to make every shot. Uh
huh. I thought so. Test your own ability for being a pool shark.
Pretend you're meeting for a high-stakes tournament. Winner of the best
of three gets to decide where you go and what you do next...
Popularity: 7. Fun Factor: 7. Cost: $20 per person.
- Poetry
Slam. There are several varieties of poetry slams. You could find a
poetry "slam" or reading in your town, or take a trip out of town for
one. Perhaps you both decide to participate and write your own poem
prior to going. Dare each other to get up and read their poem at the
slam. Gutsy, but fun! If you don't have the gumption to do the slam,
you could always go to a bookstore and seek out your favorite poetry
books and poems and share with each other over a cup of coffee.
Popularity: 5. Fun Factor: 6. Cost: Free.
- Wine
tasting/Pub crawl. If you live near vineyards, like I do, going wine
tasting can be a ton of fun. You learn about the wine, and experience
beautiful views at the vineyards. Bring along turkey sandwiches and
yummy cheese and crackers and make a picnic out of it. I recommend
stopping at two or three wineries unless you have a designated driver
or limo to take you home! (Be safe!) If you do not live near a winery,
try a pub crawl or beer tasting at the local microbrewery. Those can
also be fun. Popularity: 6. Fun Factor: 7. Cost: $ varies.
- Get
Vertigo. I'm watching Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo while I write this. So
I just thought of this idea: Go to the TALLEST buildings in town, meet
on the rooftops. It works great in a city like San Francisco, where you
can share an appetizer of cheese plate at the Marriott, taxi across
town, and watch the sunset over the Golden Gate Bridge from the top of
the Grand Hyatt while nursing a cocktail in the piano bar, then later
kicking up your heels at either the Top of the Mark, or Harry Denton's
Starlight room. Of course, Vertigo was set in San Francisco, so it
could be a follow-up movie to watch later if you get dizzy! Popularity:
6. Fun Factor: 6. Cost: $50 or so per person.
- Miniature
Golf or Bowling. These two sports are both fun for guys and girls. Men
and women still have bowling leagues. I've always loved bowling.
Miniature golf is frustrating. So, maybe try taking turns, or do both!
It depends upon time, and how much fun you're having, of course.
Popularity: 8. Fun Factor: 7. Cost: $10 - 20 per person.
- That's
Amore! One of my favorite dates is to make spaghetti. This is a twist
on 23, because in 23 you didn't know the recipe. In 31, you do. Of
course, you have to be comfortable enough to bring your date over. So,
use this with caution and common-sense, of course. While you're cooking
play a little Louis Prima, Dean Martin, and classic Italian music. (I
enjoy spicing it up and playing my sax, sometimes, too!) If spaghetti
is too fancy, try Capellini, as Angel Hair pasta is pretty easy. My
recipe calls for a few Sun Dried Tomatoes, a few rings of onion finely
chopped, and two full cloves from a head of garlic cooked until medium
brown in olive oil, then a 8 - 16 oz. of pre-sliced mushrooms, cook
those while boiling your water for the noodles. Add sliced Roma
tomatoes when the mushrooms are half done. Put the noodles in the
water. Add the bread into the oven. You can either garlic/butter or oil
up the bread, or dip it in olive oil with balsamic vinegar. Toss some
heads of romaine with a few slices of tomato and a couple of onion
rings (uncooked), mix in olive oil and balsamic in the salad to blend
with the bread and the sauce mixture. Add fresh cut basil to the sauce
mix while the tomatoes are still cooking. Grate the Parmesan cheese
(yes, buy in solid form - it's always better than the Kraft carton
type) while the sauce and noodle finish cooking. Remove the noodles al
dente, strain water, then pour the sauce over the noodles. Take out the
bread and serve as you like, and top both with a little cheese. Serve
with a bottle of Chianti, Merlot, Pinot Noir, or Syrah, if you like to
mix wine with your meals. Popularity: 8. Fun Factor: 8. Cost: $20 - 50,
depending upon the cost of the wine, usually.
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