Life Tips Daily

In yesterday’s post, ways in which one can misrepresent themselves online by their photos were discussed. Feel free to check these five areas here. Today’s focus is on important information that people sometimes fail to disclose. These things do not have to be discussed during the first few conversations but once it is apparent that there is something worth pursuing, be it friendship or a relationship, the following are areas where a frank and honest disclosure is best given voluntarily.

Your marital status
In your author’s perfect world, only singles would be trying to make (love) connections online. However, that is not the case: some married folk and people in (monogamous but unmarried) relationships are not above seeking someone else while still involved with another person. If you are the one who is not quite single, share your marital status frankly, and let the person decide if they can handle it. If you aren’t sure whether your new acquaintance is married, ask, knowing that there is no guarantee that you’re getting an honest reply.

If you’re going through a divorce or messy breakup, you may want to wait until the latter stages of this process before throwing yourself into online dating-if anything it’ll simplify your online status anyway!

Financial situation
Money is very powerful, capable of making and breaking human relationships. While you wouldn’t want to flash your bank account balance to anyone who “pokes” or “winks” at you online, or sends you an instant message, if you have problems with money, these should be laid out sooner rather than later. If you are in a lot of debt and therefore will not be able to go on expensive dates, make that clear from the beginning. It’ll save you the anxiety of the first date and what to do if an expensive restaurant is chosen, or if you’re expected to pay the full bill.

On the topic of money, don’t take advantage of somebody else’s financial situation: if you happen to meet somebody who seems
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If you suffer from insecurity, it can be hard to present yourself online in a positive and attractive light. There are a number of ways to resolve self esteem issues but in the meantime, if you will be posting a profile online, perhaps on a social networking site or a dating site, avoid the following, lest you be accused of misrepresenting yourself online.

PROFILE PHOTOS

Posting headshots only
This is one of my biggest pet peeves. Sure, some people can’t get away with posting a headshot that doesn’t reveal that they have a wide face with a number of chins but some know that if they tilt their head just so while snapping a picture, said chins disappear. So they take a bunch of photos in this classic pose and the result can be shocking to someone who sees you without the head tilt.

Posting artist headshots
What is worse than only providing headshots in your profile picture? So called “artistic” headshots, that’s what! These are the shots that have been photoshopped to remove all facial blemishes, from crows feet to moles to forehead lines, leaving a person that looks somewhat unreal. Or, every picture is given a sepia or black and white tone, blurred a bit, with colour added only to specific parts of the picture. There is no need for you to provide a picture of how you would like your potential beloved to see you; let them see the real you and they can picture the artistic rendering of you they prefer, on their own.

Using old pictures
Some post a full body picture, displaying a fairly attractive body…45lbs ago! Now tell me: what is the point of this? Unless you have a miracle diet that will whisk 45lbs off your body when needed, why not post a current picture? Don’t post pictures of a physical representation of you that even your mother would have a hard time identifyng! If you’ve lost most of your hair, don’t display a picture of the last time you had a full head of hair-12 years ago!

Dressing your formal best
It’s nice to post a picture or two of you looking your absolute best. Perhaps you were a groomsman or bridesmaid in a wedding and you cleaned up really well. Share that picture. But also be sure to post pictures of you in jeans and a t-shirt, a picture of you doing something you enjoy doing, looking very natural. This is likely how you will be seen most of the time anyway should the relationship move offline, so give potential love/lust interests a good idea of who they will be meeting.

Posting someone else’s photo
This last one is an obvious “don’t”. If you are trying to meet people online, you need to post pictures of you. It’s the right thing to do.

If your bare legs have a habit of rubbing together causing unpleasant and sometimes painful chafing, and you need a quick fix, try applying deodorant between your upper legs. While I haven’t tried this, I have it on the authority of two guinea pigs that it works!

When it comes to highschool reunions, the thought of going back to a place that perhaps has many bad memories associated with it isn’t something you’d consider. But what if you had an ok time in highschool and now, 10, 15, or 20 years later, you get an invitation to attend your reunion, happening in three months’ time? One caveat: in highschool, you were voted Biggest Braniac, or Hottest Guy/Girl and somehow you haven’t quite lived up to that moniker. Instead of being a brain surgeon, you work at the gas station because you never completed post secondary education, or instead of your “to die for” highschool physique, you are now 75lbs overweight.

What would you do? Would you attend the reunion and hope that nobody remembers/cares about old highschool titles? Would you scramble and try to do what you can before the big revelation? Or, would you skip on the reunion altogether?

In a perfect world, the right person for you would come floating or strolling along your path, your eyes would meet and after an appropriate time, a lovely wedding would take place, with you and your chosen one as the stars of the show. However, what has just been described is not a regular or likely occurrence (sorry), and sometimes, instead of eyes meeting across a beautiful field, you meet in rather unlikely places.

The following are places where people have met the loves of their lives:

At school
Perhaps you ended up being laboratory partners by accident, or ended up behind each other in a lineup at the cafeteria. Maybe you both went to the professor at the same time to ask a question, and the prof ended up suggesting that the two of your pair up as study buddies. Whatever the circumstances, matches made in school have the benefit of ensuring that you have some things in common (course of study, or other interests if you meet outside of class).

At a club
This is every parent’s nightmare but I know two couples that have been together for over six years, and both couples are married! To each other! Clubs are notorious for not being the best place to meet someone you are interested in a longterm relationship with: some go to clubs to make out-or more-with random strangers, while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, in some cases. However, it is possible to triumph. Think about it: if you go to clubs and you’re not such a bad person, why can’t someone of the opposite sex who is also not a bad person be at the same club? And why can’t she approach you at the bar? Makes sense, right?

On the bus (public transportation)
I was told a cute story of a girl whose eyes met with a guy’s at the back of the bus. He apparently smiled and said hello to her. She smiled back but didn’t speak, thinking that he talks to girls on the bus all the time. He took her for a snob for not responding. A couple more encounters at their place of worship convinced her that maybe he wasn’t so bad after all and they got married exactly five days ago so I guess the bus is as good a meeting place as any!

Through an ex-significant other
I know someone who dated a guy for a couple of weeks and ended up marrying this guy’s friend…who she had actually known before she dated the ex. In fact she met her ex through her husband! Crazy but true.

Matchmaking mamas
Mothers who were childhood friends who had lost touch reunited and told their children that their best friend forever’s (BFF’s) child was worth getting to know. For once, perhaps, both children listened, and within a year they had married and relocated so they were in the same country. Thirteen years later they are still married with two children.
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This is why putting your best foot forward is always a good idea-you never know who you might run into in the laundromat, grocery store or even at a used book store! Keep your eyes opened if you’re looking for love.

He who cherishes a beautiful vision, a lofty ideal in his heart, will one day realize it.

James Allen

Most people of school age, or parents of school age children, have the opportunity to look at the fall season as the beginning of a new year: a new school year. Even those who are in the workforce can see the fall as the beginning of something new as the cooler weather often brings with it changes with respect to dress code, the end of summer hours or new projects that are launched.

Take a moment to reflect on the next few months, until the new year starts in January: what are your goals as the calendar winds to an end? How would you like to remember 2007? Is there anything you wanted to do this year that you haven’t quite gotten to? Make time for it: you have three months!

The term “recycling” is often used for other initiatives that encourage the reusing of products, or the safe disposal of items no longer being used. Without further ado, here are some things you can do to go easy on the environment:

Compost
Most composters have a backyard in which to do this so I don’t recommend this as a good idea for apartment dwellers (unless your building happens to have a compost heap). Composting is simply allowing things to break down as they naturally would. By “things” we’re talking mostly about fruit and vegetables (the parts you don’t eat, fruits and veggies that have gone bad) or coffee grounds in their filters. Through the process of composting, your banana peel and apple core eventually become nutrient-rich soil that can be used in the garden. To find out more about how to do this, check out The Composting Guide.

Bring it back
For many things like paints, batteries, wine bottles, you can return them to where you bought them and the business will take care of them in an environmentally responsible way. Keep in mind that businesses are usually not open to receiving things every day of the year: instead, days are set up when residents are encouraged to drop things off. Check out your city guide to see if such a program exists in your neighbourhood.

Donate to a charity
Under the category of reusing, the donation of your still usable goods to a charity is a great way to give back to your community. Many not-for-profit organizations sell your donation to earn money for their cause. Before you toss something, ask yourself if somebody else can still use it. If not, wave good bye but if so, keep it and give it away. Some charities will even come to your house and pick up your no longer needed items.

How do you do your part to be environmentally responsible?

Are you prone to chronic conditions such as regular headaches or cramps?

Take your non prescription pain reliever before the pain begins. That why it will be in your system when the pain arrives.