So what do you guys make of this supposed romance between Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart? The tabloids keep jumping on every move they make, and they seem to believe that the two are really dating. I’m not so sure.

People shows a picture of them supposedly cuddled up, but even these “behind the scenes” pictures don’t convince me. For some reason I just can’t picture these two really together. It’s hard enough to believe on film.

What do you think?

Online dating is a great way to meet someone new, but one step daters sometimes struggle with is the profile. What to write? What to leave out? Here are some tips especially for the gals.

Write a Paragraph That Shows Your Personality
Instead of a list (such as “I like horse shows, football games, and French food”) add more description to it. WHY do you like these things? (“My favorite weekend days are spent making some great French food so the house smells awesome, then I can sit back and watch the game. There’s nothing better than an afternoon of football where I can yell at the top of my lungs – in the comfort of my own home, of course.”)

The more description you give something, the more your personality comes through. The way to attract someone to you is to show off all those fabulous qualities that make you who you are.

Post a Great Picture
Make sure your headshot shows your smile and face clearly. Watch what you wear, this isn’t the time for sexy outfits. A taste shirt or sweater with a lovely smile will go a long way combined with a descriptive essay.

Don’t Judge Too Harshly
You have to realize that some guys just aren’t as good at getting the details of themselves up on their profile. So if the guy has a stupid picture, or says something incredibly dumb in his essay, try and put it in perspective. Email with him a bit before writing him off. Remember that profiles are just an introduction, you’ve still got to go through the hard work of meeting someone to see if you really like him.

Your online dating profile is the one that can introduce you to your ideal mate. To make it the very best possible, here are a few things to do (and some to avoid.)

Watch the Age Range on Your Search Criteria
Men typically will put an age range of “18- their age” on their profile. While it might be legally okay that you want to date an 18-year old, if you’re a bit too old for that sort of thing women will use this to judge you. They have to. They haven’t met you and know nothing else about you. Give your search criteria the once over before posting it to make sure it’s what you really want.

Skip the Income Info
Income is one of those ultra personal things that people probably shouldn’t share until they know you well. While many sites invite you to post your income level, it might be best to skip it.

Body Issues
Men have a very different way of looking at their bodies than women do. That’s okay, except that in the online dating world you’ve got to take it all with a grain of salt. You might work out and feel really great, but is your body type really “muscular”?

Also, women tend to be more critical about their bodies, and will sometimes indicate that they need to lose a few pounds even when they don’t. Take this into consideration when looking through profiles.

No Cropped Photos
Men also like to use a photo with someone cropped out. Got one of you and your ex? Don’t use it. Women can see you’ve cropped her out and wonder why you chose that picture instead of one of you alone. Online dating is all about subtleties and these types of details can make or break your experience.

Guest post by Celeste Friedman

Getting my daily fill of the New York Daily News this morning, I came across the following article published by Reuters:

“Researchers find link between weight gain and loss of mental skills”.

It’s focus was primarily on older women who they claim should maintain a low weight to keep their reasoning, memory and over-all mental skills high. According to Dr. Diana Kerwin of Northwestern University in Chicago, she and her research team found that obesity in and of itself is “an independent risk factor for cognitive performance”. Kerwin also stated, “Even if you do have normal blood pressure and you’re not diabetic, it still should be something that’s looked at as an independent risk factor for your brain health.”

This reminded me of the “Nun Study”, where researchers gathered long-term data on over 600 nuns living in Minnesota. They found that 21 percent of the participants had lesions and plaques in their brains, which are key markings of memory disorders such as Alzheimer’s Disease. However, they lived their lives with no outward signs of Alzheimer’s or dementia. They also discovered that these nuns had happier and more positive outlooks on life, were better linguistics and had better dietary and exercise habits.

Now I’d like to see the same research conducted on obese men and aging priests. In the meantime, lay low on those potato chips and sharpen your mind by eating healthy, staying active and empower yourself, focusing on your well-being.

Single 101
Celeste Friedman

Celeste Friedman is the author of Single 101: 101 Reasons to Celebrate Being Single, available on Amazon, in the Kindle Store and online at BarnesandNoble.com.

Guest post by Allison Schleck

Online dating can be very exciting. However, there is a reason why it is online dating and not traditional dating which means that you may need to prepare yourself a little more than you are normally used to, especially if you are a newbie to the online dating world. The first place that you need to begin when you are preparing for your first online date is snatching one!

Online dating is easy if you know what you are doing. If you are interested in dating a particular type of person such as Christian dating or Senior Dating, then you can go to a website that specializes in these types of people who want to have the same dating experience. If you are interested in seeing who is out there, then you can check out different websites that cater to everyone’s likes. When you fill out your profile, you need to be specific – you can’t answer I’m into stuff, music and sports. If you are looking for someone who loves Bon Jovi, put it down. Only looking to date redheads? Let your viewers know.

You need to be honest when you fill out your profile and when you answer your potential dates. The reason for this is that it will be quite obvious once you meet that you were putting on a façade. This includes posting a picture. People do not want to know what you looked like 5 years ago, they want to know what you look like now. You should always go with pictures that are less than perfect so that people know that you are real and when you meet them, you will be pleasantly surprised. When you put up your picture, think about someone putting up a hard rock, chiseled body and meeting an overweight guy. You would be disappointed, so make sure people are getting what they see when you put up your photo.

Once you have some potential dates, start chatting them up. See who you are interested in. If you are into a couple of potential guys or girls, then feel free to go out with them all. The first real online date will be when you put up the camera. You should start with a couple of conversations and then invite him or her on an online date. Set the time and date. Don’t be late.

You would not believe how intimidating and anxious you will feel from just turning on a camera! You can feel relaxed with the fact that you are in your own home. When you prepare for your date you should make sure that you did not just come in from the gym. Dress up just like you would for a traditional date. You can buy a new shirt as this will be all that you can see. Get your hair done and for the ladies some light makeup can help to bring out your best features through your web cam.

Not only should you be prepared aesthetically but you should also be prepared mentally. I like to write a few talking points because the more nervous you are the less you can find to talk about. Talking points are a great way to keep the conversation stimulating. Try to avoid using your cell phone or instant messaging while you are on your date. Keep this hour or two focused on your date and nothing else. Other than that preparing for your first online date is a breeze. Have fun and enjoy your chat.

Allison Schleck is a featured writer for the Senior Dating site. Allison is a well-accomplished bilingual writer for magazines, websites and newspapers who teaches Karate Do on her down time.

Guest post by Diane Johnson

Breakups are generally considered to be challenging for anyone, because you have to cope with a change to your routine. You no longer have a significant other so you must do a lot of activities on your own. You are required to adjust to being alone and that may mean that you ought to start going out with your friends more often and move on by making new friends too. Meanwhile, you have to reconcile yourself to this change of circumstance, and that might mean taking some time to remember who you are and what your life was like before you met your ex. Take some time for yourself.

One of the best ways to spend time on you is by getting yourself into shape. If you were dumped, then chances are that your self confidence isn’t as good as it might be. Becoming more fit is bound to help you feel better about yourself and give you more energy and a brighter outlook on life. This will make you feel more attractive, and that will attract others to you. Plus, you always want to look better after the breakup than before. But if you are not ready for a new relationship simply focus on focus on becoming a better person by doing things for others in need.

You can also increase your poise and spunk is to update your appearance. Whether it is getting your hair highlighted or dyed, a manicure or pedicure, or simply by changing some of your makeup then that can be a positive change. A fresh perspective is sometimes the very best thing for us. Also, you might just need an outer change to perk you up inside, and it’s quite conceivable that you will like your new and improved look.

However, if you don’t feel like making any changes to yourself, another option is to go on vacation. Sometimes a little rest and relaxation can do you a world of good. Make the most of being single and be footless and fancy free – you can have it all your own way now. So get out of your house and city, and go somewhere new where you’re far away from your ex and you can see new sights. Travel helps perspective more than most anything, particularly if you go to places where people are worse off than you. You will know just how you need your life to be revamped and recharged. One way to take care of yourself is by taking care of others. You will forget your own temporary troubles as you see how you can help those around you. Doing something nice for someone who is going through something much tougher than you are facing can help you count your blessings and see how much you still have to be grateful for in life.

Keeping busy is the best way to forget your troubles. Eventually you will need to get over any issues, but that will take time. Try getting over your ex by spending more time with your friends, doing nice things for them, trying out a new hobby or skill, and making new friends. You don’t have to immediately jump into a relationship, but going out is good for you. Because it’s hard to be depressed or lonely when you’re with people, so get out there and live the life that you want to live.

About the Author:
Diane Johnson graduated with a Bachelor of Science from the University of Utah and enjoys writing about current events, politics, college degrees, Online Schools, and the office.

The popular book He’s Just Not That Into You may have been addressed towards women, but there are also ways a guy can tell if a girl is into him. Being into someone is different for guys and girls. Girls will go out with a guy a few times to see if she’s into a guy, whereas a guy may go out with someone once and decide that’s it for him.

If you’re wondering if a girl you like is into you, here are a couple common signs.

She’ll Mirror Your Movements
She won’t act like a mime and mimic every movement you make, but she will use the same gestures or speech pattern. It will subconscious in nature, so watch for subtlety.

She’ll Ask You To Do Something With Her
It may sound silly, but sometimes guys totally miss the little clues that girls give. One way a girl tells a guy she likes him is to throw out a casual offer to hang out with her or meet up with her friends.

She’ll Laugh at Your Jokes
In general, when a girl is into you she’ll listen to the things you say. She will laugh at your jokes, even if they aren’t particularly funny. She’ll do this to encourage you to keep talking and to feel comfortable.

She’ll Touch You
It might be just a small gesture where she touches your arm or hand, but if she likes you she will make a move to get closer. Again, watch for the subtle signs. Often a girl is wondering if you like her, so if you’re into her, go ahead and ask her out. What do you have to lose?

There’s something about Valerie Bertinelli that is still so cute and friendly and sweet, isn’t there? She just has this likable quality. So it was nice to hear that she had recently gotten engaged. People says her boyfriend Tom Vitale popped the question during a trip to Italy recently. How romantic!

She deserves some romance. Hey, don’t we all? Val and Tom (I say this like I know them when of course I don’t) have been dating for six years. I think she’s in a good place now to get married, so it’s probably good that she waited until this whole hoo-ha with the weight and her book and yadda yadda finished up. If you can believe it, Valerie is actually on the cover of the AARP Magazine for July!

Okay, I’m trying not to judge. Really. I think James Marsters is a great actor and deserves to be happy….. so I will say congratulations to him on his recent engagement to Patricia Rahman….. but at the same time I wonder what they have in common.

I know age doesn’t really matter in dating in theory, but when you’re half someone’s age? People says that Marsters is 47 and Rahman is 24. But hey, they’ve been dating for four years, so I suppose that’s time enough to figure out if someone is right for you. To his credit, I thought Marsters was way younger than 47. The dude really does not look his age.

A happy congrats to the couple and may they enjoy wedded bliss!

Well that didn’t take long. People says that Audrina Patridge and Ryan Cabrera have broken up. They were dating since January, but apparently it was Ryan’s “partying ways” that caused the rift.

Yeah, if you’re out every night partying, your relationship will suffer. I think this is probably true even if you both are out together. If you’re partying then the focus is on partying and not on getting to know each other.