Looking for love online

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(Free-Press-Release.com) May 9, 2006 -- Dating co-workers is against company policy. You've been on way too many disastrous blind dates. All of your friends are married, and Friday nights spent in front of the TV are getting old. And the only luck you've had with the bar scene is a date with your toilet.

Whatever the reason, you've finally decided to take dating into your own hands by posting a profile on a dating Web site.

More and more people are turning to online dating, looking for that special someone whom they've been unable to find elsewhere.

We found hundreds of profiles of Wichita-area singles on some of the big dating sites, including Match.com and Yahoo personals.

According to U.S. News & World Report, about 40 percent of singles in the United States are using online dating services, so the odds that you'll meet Mr. or Miss Right online are pretty good.

We talked to two Wichita-area couples, one married and another engaged to be married next month, who found love online.

They share their experiences and stories, which show that online dating can lead to a very happy ending.

David and Jennifer Allenbach

It took a dating Web site to bring married couple David and Jennifer together, even though they attended schools just across the street from each other.

David, a Clearwater native, was an athlete at Newman University. Jennifer, who grew up near Marion, was at Friends University.

They met on Halloween about five years ago on udate.com, then went on their first date the following weekend.

Both told their roommates where they'd be, then they met at a restaurant. Jennifer liked David immediately.

"He was fun and easy to talk to," she said. "I didn't feel nervous like I normally did on first dates."

The couple continued to date off and on through the next couple of months.

Because they'd been dating for such a short time, Jennifer was shocked when David proposed to her around Christmas.

"My parents weren't concerned with the fact that we'd met online, but they were a little worried about how quickly it happened," Jennifer said.

Even though they had a whirlwind courtship, Jennifer and David say they haven't run into any major obstacles, in part because they share the same beliefs and compromise when it comes to their differences.

They live in Haysville, where David, 27, is an assistant manager at Walgreens.

Jennifer, 25, baby-sits during the day and works part time doing customer service from her home computer in the evening.

They have 1- and 3-year-old sons who, according to Jennifer, will probably love sports just as much as their dad does.

"I had to get used to him being a sports nut," Jennifer said. "But he'll compromise and go with me to the ballet or something like that to meet me halfway, so it works out great for both of us."

Robb Lawson and Christine Cananzi

When Christine first met Robb, she told her parents she'd met him at a science fair.

"It made sense, since I'm a science teacher and he's a meteorologist," she recalls.

The couple, who plan to marry in June, actually met on Yahoo personals about three years ago and chatted through e-mails and phone calls for a couple of weeks before going out on their first date.

Christine, 28, a science teacher at Heights High School, is originally from Pittsburgh, Pa., and came to Wichita so she could be near a previous boyfriend.

"It didn't work out, but I loved it here, so I decided to stay," she said.

Her decision worked out well for Robb, 28, a Nebraska native who moved to Wichita for his job as a meteorologist for the National Weather Service.

"He's the only guy I ever met online that I allowed to come to my apartment to pick me up for our first date," Christine said.

Once her parents got to know Robb, Christine told them that she had met him online. And according to her, they don't mind a bit because they know their daughter is extremely happy.

Aside from sharing a love of science, Robb and Christine enjoy traveling together. They go to Las Vegas once a year, and season tickets to University of Nebraska games take them on lots of road trips during football season.

Play it safe

Meeting an online love interest in person for the first time is an exciting prospect, but safety should be of the utmost concern when planning a rendezvous.

Several dating Web sites, including Match.com, offer their own tips.

We asked several local couples and singles who have dated online for their tips on how to safely navigate a first date.

1. Be honest. Any relationship based on a lie is bound to turn out badly. The truth will have to come out eventually, which will lead to a very awkward situation.

2. Watch out for fake profiles. Some online profiles are staged by companies looking to gain access to your e-mail address and other personal information.

A good indicator that someone may be misleading you is if they are eager to find out your personal information right away. Their photo also might look like a posed image of a model.

3. Share when you're ready. Take your time when it comes to giving out your phone number. It might even be a good idea to set up a date by e-mail, then share your number and other information if the date goes well.

4. Get the facts. Be wary of people who refuse to share personal information (what they do for a living, their age or appearance, etc.).

5. Go with your gut. If something doesn't seem quite right, or if you've got a bad feeling about someone, chances are you should steer clear.

6. Tell a friend. When you're meeting someone in person for the first time, let a friend know where and when you'll be meeting as a precaution, and make sure they'll be available if you need to get in touch with them.

7. Meet in a public place. It might not be a good idea to invite someone to your home, or to a place where there won't be other people around. Consider making plans to meet at a restaurant or some other busy locale.

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