Congratulations! You have decided to take the cyber plunge and a chance at finding love online.

People are lead down this path to possible virtual bliss by several means, most of which can be simplified down to one statement: conventional methods for meeting that special someone have failed you.

There are a number of online dating services; however, they have several common qualities: relatively fast, private, not responsible for any outcome--positive or otherwise {see Terms of Service} and sectioned into types of searches (age, gender, physical and religious preferences, etc.). The type of site that best suits you depends on your style.

Don't have a clue where to start? Check out www.freeonlinedatingservices.net. This site suggests five web sites to check out: Matchmaker, DreamMates, MatchDoctor, eHarmony, and FriendFinder. It also answers questions about the possible costs associated with these sites. The costs range from free, free for seven days, free for women, or up to $49.95/ month. It also describes the amount of work you need to put into your personal profile and if you can be a browser for free.

• Includes options to search for military singles, nudist lifestyles, silver connections, and Big&Beautiful.
• Requires completion of a lengthy survey.

date.com

• Offered incentive of winning a trip to Mexico.
• Very fast to join and an option to contact your 'interest' by e-mail right from the site.
• Profiles are audited by the staff, and will not be published if they are offensive or incomplete. Basic personal profile (age, gender, etc.)

Lavalife.com

• Free
• Browsing and participation as well as paid memberships.
• Lengthy communication will require a membership.
• Can send "cyber smiles" to show interest.
• Divided into "dating", "relationship" and "intimate encounters" profiles.
• Able to attach "backstage photos", where the only people with access to your photos are the ones to whom you give a "backstage pass.”

Be prepared with your personal profile before you try out the sites. Most sites will prompt you to choose an ID. Remember to keep it anonymous but simple (ie: suepizza). This ID will be used by you when logging into the site, and by others to communicate with you.

Catch people's attention by attaching a photograph or using a caption. Consider making it available to only those whom you choose to give it to. Be careful when choosing a caption, as interpretation sometimes gets lost in cyberspace. You might think "Energy to Burn" means you like to spend time at the gym; however, it may be interpreted differently. Be creative. Be honest.

Know which qualities you find attractive, and which you find unacceptable. The amount of information you reveal is up to you. Most sites allow for up to 2,000 characters of text in a profile. Some profiles offer choices (Lavalife will ask you to click on favourite hobbies, sports, television programs, music, etc).

Other questions to consider:

• How far would you travel for a date?
• Would you date a "social smoker", but not a "smoker"?
• Would you date someone with kids?
• Do you ever want to get married?
• What is your idea of a casual night out?
• Define romance
• How would you describe your body type?
• What physical qualities are you looking for in a potential mate?

As in all Internet communication, security is key. Do not reveal personal information (full name, address, phone number, e-mail address, place of work, etc.) in your profile, and be sensible if you choose to give it out later. Some sites will police themselves and delete this information. You are trusting that the individuals contacting you are being upfront and honest with their intentions, but there are no guarantees.

A good suggestion is to create an e-mail address solely for this communication. MSN Hotmail is a great choice (when entering your name for a Hotmail account, use your first initial and only a portion of your last name). This will be visible to those you contact. Read the Terms of Service in any site you use.

Your personal profile is a powerful tool. It allows a glimpse into who you are and also shows that you are a very brave soul, indeed.