Beyond Online Dating by Hayden Allen

Dating in the dark
Exactly what it says on the tin, you sit in the dark and eat a meal talking to someone you can’t see. Apparently it makes you feel more comfortable with who you are and who you are talking to. Only thing is that when the lights go on and you have been getting on famously with an absolute pig then you will be gutted! Try – Original Dating

Speed dating
Basically you got to a venue unknowing of who will be there. Often called mini dating, you have x amount of people of the opposite sex and the same amount of people of your sex. Then you have 1 minute (usually) to go round all the opposite sex asking them questions about themselves. A bell sounds every minute for you to move to the next person. You mark each of the people you chat to and are given the chance to get back in touch with them after the event if you both have indicated that there is a spark there. Great way to meet people. Try – 8 Minute Dating

Team dating
A relatively new form of dating, you basically go out as a group of people (friends) and go to meet a group of the same amount of mates to see how you get on. It’s all organised by an outside party. Try – TeamDating.com. 

Online dating
Worth $500m a year, this is an increasingly great means of meeting a suitable partner. There are thousands upon thousands of sites out there all catering for different niches, then you have the massive players like Match.com. In short, you post a profile and then hope that someone who visits the site likes what they see and gets in touch. You can specify what sort of person you are looking for and what sort of person you are. MySpace has increasingly become popular as an online dating resource.  Try – MySpace

Drive dating
An interesting one! Taken off more in the States than the UK. You basically attach a sticker to your car in a certain car that has a number on it. If you like the look of that person then you log onto a website and get in touch. Has been slow to take but it has legs as an idea.

Dance dating
There have been a few dancing clubs pop up that specifically put singles together. You register, go along, and are put with a variety of partners and then taught how to dance. A nice way to meet someone and at least you will know straight away that they won’t dance like your dad! Try – Dance Dating

Double Date
You take a friend and you go meet a couple of potential partners together. It’s a really good idea to do as you know you are going to be safe with a friend looking out for you. Try – DoubleDate

Blind Date
It’s not dating for the blind! It is where you have never met a potential partner and you agree to go for a date with them. Obviously you are both at a disadvantage as neither of you know what the other looks like.

Dating agency
For the person who has a little more cash to throw at dating, agencies can be a fantastic means of finding a suitable date. You basically leave it up to a professional to match-make you with someone who you want to be matched with. Therefore you only get genuinely good partners… well most of the time! Beware, there are varying degrees of agency, obviously the more expensive offer better service. Make the first question to them ‘What is your success rate’? Try – UK Directory of Dating Agencies

Not so common AcronymnsI’ve often wondered what the hell people mean when they send you funny little symbols, since the revolution of Text messaging the concept of shortening words obviously has greater appeal as it doesn’t take you 2 hours to say what you want to say.

I’ve even made it easy for you and categorised the most common acronyms and symbols. The examples at the bottom of the page are for the die hard fans, oh and the adult market!

Common Acronyms

IMO = In my opinion
IM = Instant Messaging
N/A = Not Applicable
N/S = Non-Smoker
POV = Point Of View
THX = Thanks
LOL = laugh out loud
GTSY = glad to see you
GMTA = great minds think alike
BRB = be right back
AFK = away from keyboard
HAGN = have a good night
L8R G8R = later gator
LMHO = laughing my head off
POOF = I have left the chat
SYS = see you soon
SWAK = sealed with a kiss
TX = thanks
WB = welcome back
*G* = giggle or grin
*H* = hug
*K* = kiss
*W* = wink

Common Smileys

:- ) = smile
: ) = smile
;- ) = wink
:’ = crying
^5 = high five
:-0 = shocked or surprised
^ = thumbs up
<B= unhappy
>:- ( = angry
:-D = laughing
:-> = devilish

IMONot so common Acronymns

BiF = Bisexual Female
BiM = Bisexual Mamale
BDSM = Bondage/Discipline/Domination/Submission/Sadism/Masocism
BBW = Big Beautiful Woman
BHM = Big Handsome Man
CD = Cross-dresser
CPL = Couple
DDF = Drug and Disease Free
Dom = Dominant (male)
Domme = Dominant (female)
D/s = Domination/Submission
DWF = Divorced White Female
DWM = Divorced White Male
F/T = Full Time
F2F = Face-to-Face
GSOH = Good Sense of Humour
GBF = Gay Black Female
GBM = Gay Black Male
GWF - Gay White Female
GWM = Gay White Male
HWP = Height/Weight Proportional
ICQ = I seek you - Chat software
ISO = In Search Of
IRL = In Real Life
ILU = I Love You
LTR = Long Term Relationship
LFG = Looking for a group
LDS = Long Distance Relationship
LGBT = Lesbian Gay Bisexual
MBA = Married But Available
MWC = Married With Children
MWF = Married White Female
MWM = Married White Male
NSA = No Strings Attached
PF = Professional Female
PM = Professional Male
P/T = Part Time
RPG = Role Playing Games
RL = Real Life
SM = Sadism/Masochism (S&M)
SOH = Sense of Humor
Sub = Submissive
SWALK = Sealed With A Loving Kiss
W/E = Well-endowed
WLTM = Would Like To Meet
XOXO = Hugs and Kisses

Not so common smileys

@>--;-- = A Rose
%-6 = All mixed up
O:- ) = Angel
0*- ) = Angel Wink – female
0;- ) = Angel wink – male
:-{ = Angry
:-Z = Angry Face
:-{{ = Very Angry
>:- ( = Annoyed
~:o = Baby
:-{0 = Basic Mustache
: = = Beaver
%-| = Been up All Night
:- )^< = Big Boy
:- )8< = Big Girl
(((H))) = Big Hug
:-X = Big Wet Kiss
(:-D = Blabber Mouth
?-( = Black Eye
#-) = Blinking
:-! = Bored
%-6 = Brain Dead
<B=) = Bucktoothed
:-C = Bummed Out
:-#| = Bushy Mustache
}:-X = Cat
q:- ) = Catcher
C=:- ) = Chef
8^ = Chicken
;-( = Chin up
*<<<<+ = Christmas Tree
:-.) = Cindy Crawford
% ) = Confused
:- S = Confused
:-{ = Count Dracula
H-) = Cross-Eyed
:`-( = Crying
:*( = Crying softly
&:- ) = Curly Hair
:-@! = Cursing
O-) = Cyclops
>:-> = Devilish
:-e = Disappointed
%-} = Dizzy
:3-] = Dog
:- )) = Double Chin
:*) = Drinking every night
:-B = Drooling out of Both Sides of Mouth
:#) = Drunk
.\/ = Duck
<:-l = Dunce
:-6 = Eating Something Spicy
(:-| = Egghead
5:- ) = Elvis
:") = Embarrased
:-} = Embarrassed Smile
0|-) = Enjoying the Sun
>: ) = Evil
>-) = Evil Grin
G(-’.’G) = Fighting Kid - it’s a straight-on smiley
l:-O = FlatTop Loudmouth
:-! = Foot in Mouth
=:-H = Football player
:-W = Forked Tongue
:^{= = Frank Zappa
%*@:- ) = Freaking Out
/:- ) = Frenchman with a beret
8) = Frog
:-< = Frowning
):-( = Frowning Smiley with Hair
:- / = Frustrated
=:- ) = Funny Hair
*:* = Fuzzy
*:*} = Fuzzy With a Mustache
~~:-( = Getting Rained On
8*) = Glasses and a Half Mustache
:oÞ = Grinning and sticking tongue out (type ALT+0222 on righthand number keypad)
{:- ) = Hair Parted in the Middle
}:- ) = Hair Parted in the Middle Sticking up on Sides
=:- ) = Hair Standing on End
:-}) = Handlebar Mustache
%-) = Happy Drunk
:-’ = Has a Dimple
:%)% = Has Acne
:-# = Has Braces
<B#) = Has Braces variation
:-`| = Have a Cold
|:- ) = Heavy Eyebrows
/;- ) = Heavy Eyebrows - Slanted
l^o = Hepcat
(_8^(|) = Homer Simpson
(_8(|) = Homer Simpson
(^~^~^) = Hot ass walking away
*^_^* = Huge Dazzling Grin - it’s a straight-on smiley
%*@:-( = Hungover with headache
:0 = Hungry
o[-<]: = I am a skater or I like to skate
?:^[] = Jim Carrey
(8 { = John Lennon
@:-} = Just Back From Hairdresser
:-T = Keeping a Straight Face
: ) = Kid smiley
:-x = Kiss
:-* = Kiss on the cheek
>^,,^< = Kitty Cat - it’s a straight-on smiley
& = Kitty cleaning a hind paw
>* = Kitty doesn’t like taking its pill
~*= = Kitty running away from you
:p = Kitty with tongue hanging out
>:-l = Klingon
:-D = Laughing
%OD = Laughing like crazy
(-: = Left Hand
?-: = Left Handed Tongue Touching Nose
>;-> = Lewd Remark
:-9 = Licking Lips
;-, = Like, Duh
:-x = Lips are Sealed
8:- ) = Little Girl
%-) = Long Bangs
%+{ = Lost a Fight
|-( = Lost Contact Lenses
X-( = Mad
;-( = mad look
&-l = Makes Me Cry
<B*) = Makes Me Sick
:- S = Makes No Sense
@@@@:- ) = Marge Simpson
@|-) = Meditating Smiley
#:- ) = Messy Hair
8(:- ) = Mickey Mouse
: ) = Midget
~~:-( = Mohawk
:-{ = Mustache
:-{)= = Mustache & Goatee
:-3 = Mustache (Handlebar Type)
{:-{)} = Mustache and Beard
:-# = My Lips Are Sealed
(-) = Needs Haircut
):-( = Nordic
:/) = Not Amused
8-O = Omigod!
:=) = Orangutan
8> = Penguin
:-? = Pensive
:^) = Personality
3:] = Pet Dog
:8) = Pig
:---) = Pinnochio
P-( = Pirate
3:[ = Pitbull
:-< = Pointy Mustache
}:^#) = Pointy Nosed
+<:- ) = Pope
:-t = Pouting
:-[ = Pouting variation
+:- ) = Priest
;~[ = Prizefighter
X:- ) = Propeller Head
=:- ) = Punk
=:-( = Punk Not Smiling
<(-'.'-)> = Puppy dog - it’s a straight-on smiley
:-r = Rasberry
(((((:-{= = Rave Dude
:-C = Real Unhappy
~:-( = Really Bummed Out
:- )) = Really Happy
([( = Robocop
[:] = Robot
@};--- = Rose
3:*> = Rudolph the red nose reindeer
<B= Sad
<B= Sad Turtle
:-d = Said with a smile
:-y = Said with a Smile variation
M:- ) = Saluting
*<|:- ) = Santa Claus
:-> = Sarcastic
:-@ = Screaming
)8-) = Scuba Diver with Hair
$__$ = Sees Money
:-I = Semi-Smile
,:- ) = Shaved Left Eyebrow
8-0 = Shocked
+-( = Shot Between the Eyes
:-V = Shouting
:O = Singing
~:- P = Single Hair
:- / = Skeptical
‘:- / = Skeptical again
:-7 = Skeptical variation
O-) = Smiley After Smoking a Banana
):- ) = Smiley with Hair
:-, = Smirk
;^) = Smirking
:-i = Smoking a cig
:-? = Smoking a pipe
:-Q = Smoking while talking
~~~~8} = Snake
<B<| = Standing Firm
=%-O = Stared at Computer Way Too Long
%-) = Staring at a Screen for 15 hours
(8-{)} = Sunglasses, Mustache, Beard
/8^{~ = Sunglasses, Mustache, Goatee
:0 = Surprised
`:- ) = Sweating
,:- ) = Sweating on the Other Side
:-0 = Talkative
:- S = Talking Gibberish
&-| = Tearful
-(: )(0)=8 = Teletubby
:- )--- = Thin as a Pin
%-\ = Tired
:-? = Tongue Sticking Out
:-& = Tongue Tied
:-a = Tongue Touching Nose
*!#*!^*&:- = Total Head Case
}(:-( = Toupee Blowing in Wind
:- ))) = Triple Chin
<:>== = Turkey
x:- / = Uncertain
=):- ) = Uncle Sam
:-\ = Undecided
:-| = Unfazed
|:- ) = Unibrow
|:-| = Unyielding
:-[ = Vampire
:- ))) = Very Happy
%’ ) = Very Tired
(:-( = Very Unhappy
:-< = Walrus
@:- ) = Wavy Hair
{(:- ) = Wearing a Toupee
[:- ) = Wearing a Walkman
8-) = Wearing Contacts
B-) = Wearing Glasses
:-{} = Wearing Lipstick
]-I = Wearing Sunglasses
{:- ) = Wears a Toupee
:-1 = Whatever
:-" = Whistling
;^? = Wigged Out
‘- ) = Winking
,-) = Winking Happy
;- ) = Winking variation
8<:- ) = Wizard
-=#:- ) \ = Wizard with Wand
:- )8 : = Woman
:~) = Wondering
,-} = Wry and Winking
:-7 = Wry Face
l-O = Yawning
|^o = Yawning or Snoring variation
<B0) = Yelling
=8-0 = Yikes!
$-) = Yuppie