7 Tips on How Baby Boomers Can Write

A Great Internet Dating Profile

I started doing Internet dating in 2006 at the age of 57. I found learning to write an effective profile was the most difficult part of the whole dating process. Of course, I also had to kiss a few proverbial frogs before I began finding the princes in my on-line journey.

My first coffee date was with a very negative, sour-faced man. What a disaster! His first comment was “Oh. I see you are exactly on time. I don’t like late people.”

Shortly after sitting down with him, (I bought my own coffee, by the way) he remarked, “Most women have told me they can tell in 10 minutes whether this is going to go any further.”

Gulp! I already knew it wouldn’t go any further. I was ready to run, but since this was totally new and a learning experience for me, I managed to stick it out for ½ an hour. Then I ran!

My second date was with a more pleasant fellow, but didn’t go much better. It turned out he was a bit of a drifter. I ended up buying my own lunch and offered to buy his but he turned me down, thank goodness!

Things have improved immensely since those first couple of experiences and I have met some very nice people on-line. My profile is much different than it used to be too and I am no longer just interested in dating. I hope I will eventually meet a new long-term partner. I know a number of couples who have been successful in their search for romance and are now together.

So, where do you start when you want to write a profile?

#1 – Know yourself.
Many people don’t take the time to figure out who they are and what they like. What are your interests and hobbies? What are your values? If a guy starts swearing in public is it going to embarrass you or will you just laugh about it? The woman you are checking out has kids and you don’t. Does that matter? He is looking for a wife and you are looking for a date to the movies. Will it work?

#2 - Know the type of person you are looking for.
Know the type of person you want first before you post your own profile. You can do this by checking out some of the free sites. Set up a very short profile to allow you to go on-line, and which you can delete after you have most of the information you want. That way you can read profiles and find out what has been written that really impresses you or excites you, and what turns you off.

#3 – Write your personal “turn-off” list.
What turns you off about a potential date or mate? What are your non-negotiables? Can you stand smokers or heavy drinkers? You can’t change a person’s habits…… so know what you don’t want before you start the profile process.

#4 – If you are a woman, upload an up-to-date picture.
Probably the biggest complaint I hear from guys is “She was 10 years older or 50 lbs. heavier than her picture.” Get real. If he is attracted to your picture and then you aren’t that picture, he’s lost any possible chance for trust in the relationship. Women like to look at the guys’ pictures too but women aren’t usually as visual as guys so they will read beyond the picture.

#5 – Make the first few words in your profile count.
Let potential dates or mates know what you like doing and what is important to you. If you are a very active person, you want people to know that so you find someone with like interests looking at your profile. If you prefer a quiet, sedentary life, talk about that.

#6 – Stay safe.
There are a lot of nice people on Internet dating sites but there are weird ones too. Send emails back and forth for the initial talking. You should have a pretty good idea of what they are like and whether you want to meet them in person. Don’t give out any personal information other than your first name and possibly a cell phone # until you have seen each other a few times. Take your own vehicles to meet each other, for the first 3 or 4 outings anyway, until you have some history of each other.

#7 – Your profile is a work in progress.
Once you are ready to put your profile out there for everyone to see, don’t be afraid to make changes to it or change the picture occasionally. It will often bring you to the top of the list again. Also, as you get used to internet dating, you will find you may think differently about who you are on line.

Internet dating is just another way of meeting new people, no matter what age you are. The nicest thing about it is there are so many people to choose from when you are on-line, so get out there and have fun!

5 Tips For Baby Boomers When Dating After 60

Getting back into the dating scene later in life can be daunting for many. Where do you start? How do you meet people? What do you do? How do you balance your time together and apart? Remember, you don’t have another 60 years left to look for the perfect partner!

1.First of all, determine what you want. Are you looking for someone just to do things with in the community? Or do you want a person to share your bed with on a regular basis? Maybe you want the whole meal deal; fall in love, get married, and live happily ever after! Get whatever you want straight in your mind because you can cross a lot of people off your list quickly if they aren’t looking for the same thing. That doesn’t mean you can’t change your mind later, but know what you are looking for to begin with.

2. Look in the mirror and don’t scare yourself off. You aren’t 20 anymore, so neither is your body, but it’s the only one you have. Get used to it and look after it. The potential partners aren’t going to be 20 either, unless that is all you are looking for at this point. If it is, you may as well quit reading this because it won’t answer any questions you have. Someone your age is not necessarily going to have a perfect body either but they will be more understanding of the aches and pains you deal with.

3. Find out what language you talk. As long as you are from the same generation, there’s a good chance you will talk the same language. That’s a start and works if you are only looking for an occasional date. That doesn’t mean you will have anything in common though, for long term stuff. A person who spends all their spare time reading may be poorly matched with someone who wants to constantly be on the go traveling. Take time to really find out if you have anything in common.

4. How much alone time each day or week is necessary for you? If you’ve been on your own for a long time, you may not be willing to give up a great deal of your free time. It doesn’t mean you aren’t flexible to going places or trying new things. You only have so much time left to accomplish your bucket list so sometimes you have to be selfish. Then there is work versus retirement. A person still working fulltime trying to date someone who is retired can be frustrating. Holiday time is often the most problematic issue because that may be the only time for family get-togethers, etc.

5. Be very honest about your sexual compatibility. If sex is still a very important part of a relationship for you, put the subject on the table early in the relationship. This may sound crude to some but it is just as important as if you are looking for a traveling companion. You’d have no problem discussing that topic. Why should there be a problem discussing sex? And don’t forget to talk about whether you need something 5-star or can you happily settle for the hostel experience. There’s a big difference between the two and it’s really necessary, even after 60 years old, to be on the same page.

Dating after 60 can be a lot of fun if you take time to determine what you are looking for. There are a lot of singles looking for a compatible partner.

6 Heart Attack Warning Signs For Baby Boomers

Nobody wants to admit he or she might be a candidate for a heart attack. After all, that means one is getting older and maybe hasn’t taken care of himself as much as he could have or should have. What if a person has done everything right health-wise his whole life?

It doesn’t matter how healthy a person is or how much exercise they do if they are genetically predisposed to heart problems. One of the most common causes of heart attacks in Baby Boomers is the build up of plaque in the arteries. This becomes a silent killer, especially if people over 60 ignore the warning signs.

What are some of the most common warning signs?

1.Sudden fatigue
It’s natural to feel tired after a full day’s work but if a person is feeling extremely tired early in the day for no reason, get it checked out.

2. Pain in the upper arms and up into the neck
If there is pain that is occurring in these areas that isn’t a result of exertion, it could be a warning sign of an attack.

3. Pain around the chin and especially in the jaw
In some cases the jaw will get extremely painful, almost as though there is a sudden abscess in a tooth without any reason.

4. A change in anxiety level
Even though a person may be normally calm, the onset of anxiety or stress that isn’t a result of a specific reason should be held suspect. Also, sudden weakness, cold clammy skin, and sweating needs to be checked out.

5. Heaviness without actual pain
If a person feels heaviness in the chest or back area like a weighing down, it might be a sign. Have it checked out.

6.Palpitations
People will sometimes experience palpitations. This is when the heart starts pounding and the pulse begins racing for no reason, even in a resting state. It may be nothing, but if it is combined with other signs, don’t ignore it. Try to get someone to take your pulse and give the information to your doctor.

Many people will choose to ignore the warning signs. They figure since there is no severe pain, that there is no chance that a heart attack is occurring. That is one of the biggest fallacies. It is better to get things checked out than take a chance of possible damage.

For more information there are a number of sites to research. These include www.heartandstroke.ca and www.americanheart.org