You have taken the time to create an outstanding profile and have posted at least three photos, one of which is a close-up shot of your face and another is a body shot. The paragraphs you have written accurately describe your personality and the things you find important in your perfect match. You have set up your preferences for your search, examined many potential matches, and have decided to contact a few of them. It is now time to send a proper introduction letter.

People often wonder how much time they should be spending on Internet dating. Is there a benchmark? Rather than approach Internet dating as a cure-all, it should be treated as an ancillary service – one that can fill the gaps and expands your prospect pool when you are not being set-up on dates, going through a drought, a stranger in a new town or far too busy at work to have time to meet new prospects. The remainder of your time should be spent exploring other more traditional vehicles.

I think this is just such a fun sauce. I am a real fan of root beer and will often go out of my way for a mug of the stuff. So, why not a …

In the kosher kitchen, we only have so many ingredients to work with, both at home and professionally. Many ingredients that most chefs take for granted are not part of my daily repertoire due to kosher restrictions. I have a meat and pareve kitchen and cannot just add cream to a soup or sauce to thicken it. I have to work a bit harder and find other ways that fit into the kosher laws. I do not believe in using faux foods for substitutions and I look to natural ingredients that are already kosher and in season. In the spirit of Cucina Povera, I embrace my constraints, accept the materials I have to work with and move on.

He’s cute, smart and successful, but after a year as a 100hookup.com Subscriber, 38-year-old Darren was getting tired of being rejected by the women he tried to connect with online. He lamented “they just don’t respond to any of my notes and I don’t understand what I am doing wrong,” when he decided to enlist some online dating help from SingleEdition.com.

Question: “Being in my early 40′s, successful, not sure I’m going to have kids and single, I’m finding the qualities I seek in a man have shifted from those I sought in my 20′s and 30′s. I’m meeting some great guys, mostly online. They have their stuff together; they’re successful, maybe have kids and possess a lot of what I look for in a partner (fantastic on paper)…but, there’s no chemistry, no romantic connection and no physical interest.  As much as I try to be open, I know a second date won’t stir that spark. If he asks me out again after that first date, what do I say and how do I be honest without hurting his feelings?”

Roles and rules in the world of dating have been jumbled in recent years.  We are bombarded by a pop culture of television shows, movies, books and songs depicting men and women in traditional and non-traditional positions in the workplace, family, and relationships.  It can be hard to tell which of the old rules of dating still apply — and which ones even your grandparents would consider out of style.

It’s a problem we all face:

You find an attractive someone on a dating site. You craft a witty, fun, complimentary and intelligent email and send it off, and two weeks go by with no reply. What gives? You’re not a freak. Your picture is hot. You’ve carefully chosen corroborating pictures that make you look socially well-adjusted and fun, and you (and your mother) consider yourself a solid catch. What happened?

The answer is simple. You’ve made a mistake so common; no one even knows there’s a better way. Prepare to be enlightened.

One of the best features on 100hookup is the ability to upload your photos as well as view photos of potential matches. Most people will sort through photos before reading somebody’s profile. When people don’t have photos on their profile, or have photos of themselves in group shots or the photo was taken from a distance, fewer potential matches will peruse their profiles. Knowing that, wouldn’t it make sense to update and upgrade your profile photos?

In the Q&A following a conference presentation the other evening, I received an interesting question from a 37-year-old man who asked, “It seems that the women I encounter sign off on never-married men who are on the plus side of 35. Do you find that social stigmas and stereotypes surrounding bachelors still persist and, if so, are they on the rise?”