[SmallWonder]

Hey all -

I've been chatting with someone online and it's been awesome. We'd like to meet in the near future - we've been clicking like crazy and we make each other laugh just through emails, which is hard to do!

Those of you who are online "dating", how did you tell your friends and how did they react?

Just wondering - Thanks!!!

[Pendawn]

I just flat out told them. Most of them were worried and suspicious, but mostly pleased for me. I told them I would take precautions (eg waited a few weeks before meeting up and then did it in a public place, didn't go back to us, had someone come pick me up at a set time etc) and they were reassured.

[blue16]

It's all about how you present it. If you're insecure and like "hey I hope you guys don't think this is really uncool, but I met this girl on the internet..." But if you confidently say you met this girl on an online site or whatever then theres nothin wrong with that. Just tell them straight up, the more you hide it the more it looks like you're embrassed about the whole thing.

[MWC_LifeBeginsAt40]

I lied to my friends the first time, and then when I met another guy, I told them I met him the same place as the last guy, online. And so of course they caught me in that original lie but they are okay with it. They don't understand it, because they've never chatted.

I don't know why I was so worried....they are true friends and they did not judge me on it, they are concerned but I take precautions.

[Tankgirl]

In reality its not much different from meeting someone in a bar. You are just as much strangers online as in a bar the first time you meet. Im all for precaution but Im not about to defend myself about the online thing to my friends. I've met AWESOME people online. Right now Im dating a great guy from eharmony. Many of my girlfriends have dated nightmares they met in bars. Stalkers and STDs. So no matter what, life is filled with freaks and surprises. Its all about how you manage yourself Anyone who pokes fun is jealous!

Own it! And congrats on meeting someone neat!

[slubberdegullion]

Online dating, once the purview of geeks and the socially inhibited, is now mainstream. Tankgirl is right. Own it. Besides, it's not how you met, it's who you met!

[whichwayisup]

Some people have met the love of their lives online. I say just go with the flow! Don't even worry about what anybody thinks. If ANYBODY criticizes (sp??!!) then they're just being judgemental. It's your business and have fun with it!