Blog Posts by HowAboutWe

by Scott Alden for HowAboutWe.com

Do you go on a lot of boring dates? Dates that never really go anywhere because you never get beyond the chatty "getting-to-know-you" stuff? Is it sometimes hard to tell if you even like the person because you didn't really talk...about anything?

Well, according to psychologist Dan Ariely, this happens because this is the way you want it.

"We found a general trend supporting the idea that people like to maintain boring equilibrium at all costs," writes Ariely in a recent AskMen article. "When people are free to choose what type of discussions they want to have, they often gravitate toward an equilibrium that is easy to maintain but one that no one really enjoys or benefits from."

Related: 10 Ways To Deal With Your Partners Sexual Past

Ariely is referring to a recent study of online daters in which he observed trends in the subject matter of messages on dating sites (which he generally found to be BOOOORING). He then forced these

By Chiara Atik for HowAboutWe.com

I was nine years old when The Rules: Time-Tested Secrets for Capturing the Heart of Mister Right was first published in 1995, but I still remember the buzz it caused. 15 years later, how well have The Rules stood the test of time?

The Top Ten Rules, by Ellen Fein and Sherrie Schneider.

1. Be A Creature Unlike Any Other
Uh, ok. How, exactly? Well, Fein and Schneider have a few suggestions for us. For example, we should try pausing between sentences! Dressing demurely! Breathing slowly! Walking briskly!

Right. So next time you go to a bar, just wear a long skirt and a sweater, walk briskly to someone, say something, pause, take a deep slow breath, say something again, and wait for the magic to happen.

Verdict: Ridiculous. Don't try this at home, girls.

Related: 6 Things Girls Shouldn't Wear On A Date

2. Show up to parties, dances, and social events even if you do not feel like it.
If you're actively looking for someone to date (or, sure, marry, I

by Scott Alden for HowAboutWe

One of the tough things about online dating is also one of the nicest: You can't possibly go out with everyone on the site who shows interest. You'll notice that people have viewed your profile. You'll receive notifications that people are "intrigued." People will send you messages and ask you out. You can't be expected to reciprocate all of this attention.

Online Dating 101: Say It With Pictures

Give yourself a break and remember that, because the stakes are much lower online, people don't necessarily expect a response from everyone they approach. It's good to give people a chance, of course, but if you know you're not interested from the get-go, there's no need to say anything at all.

Online Dating 101: Don't Let Your Grammar Do The Talking

If you're concerned that you're hurting people's feeling by not responding to their heart-felt, sincere missives, consider this: no response at all is often better than outright rejection.

By Chiara Atik for HowAboutWe.com

You've been messaging back and forth with someone, and after a while you realize, nope, you're not really interested in this person. They, however, continue to message you. Awkward waters to navigate, right?

This is why dating online is awesome and slightly less pressure than, say, trying to hit on someone at a party. Everyone you talk to on a dating site is presumably talking to other people as well, and willing to go on lots of dates in order to find the right person.

Related: Online Dating 101: Is Your Facebook Page Ready For Love?

So whereas at a party, it might be rude to abandon the guy or girl you've been talking to in favor of someone else, online, it's sort of part fo the game. If it's not gonna be a good fit, better for both parties to move on to the next option.

Online Dating 101: Definitely Don't Photoshop Your Picture

Depending on how many messages you've exchanged with someone, it may be acceptable to just stop responding. The Fade

By Chiara Atik for HowAboutWe.com

One of the questions on the HowAboutWe Dating Profile asks what your "First Date No-Nos" are, and many people seem to think that bringing up an ex is the absolute worst thing you can do on a first date. A recent survey seems to corroborate this: 67% of singles think an ex is the worst thing to mention.

Related: The Six Words You Should Never Utter On A First Date

The same survey has a runner-up which can make your date just as uncomfortable: bringing up a medical condition or illness.

Online Dating 101: Google Yourself

Some medical conditions are necessary to bring up right away -- this is fine as long as you do it in a relatively composed, casual manner: relay the pertinent details (anything your date NEEDS to know), and change the topic as soon as possible. You can go into it in more detail eventually, but for now, keep it light.

But other, less pressing medical conditions should definitely not come up over dinner or bowling: your IBS, bunions,

By Scott Alden for HowAboutWe

So, you signed up for an online dating site and completed your profile. Six months ago. Something must have changed since then, right? So why doesn't your profile reflect that?

Related: Online Dating 101: Say It With Pictures

Did you cut all your hair off? Post a pic. We want to see how awesome you look. Did you go backpacking in Thailand? Tell us about it. New job? Congratulations! Make sure to update that in your basic information. Just had the best Bloody Mary of your life? Post the brunch spot as a date.

Related: Online Dating 101: Uh, Definitely Don't Photoshop Your Profile Picture

An online dating site is not that different than a social network, really. When something new happens in your life, whether it's earth shattering or not, it's okay to tell people about it. Updating your profile regularly keeps you invested in your dating life and keeps your head in the game. And just like with a bold new hair color or some fresh new

By Chiara Atik for HowAboutWe

Oh happy day! The most dashing man on the planet is single again, which means it's time for any interested girls to really up their dating game. Are you smooth enough to win over George Clooney if he should happen to walk into a room? These things take preparation.

Look, at HowAboutWe, we don't encourage people to be anything but themselves. Everyone who's ever seen a teen comedy knows that you should never change yourself for a man.

But this isn't a man we're talking about.

This is Clooney.

Some drastic measures might be necessary.

Related: How To Be The Girl That Gets Noticed

1. Be A Brunette

Historically, Clooney has shown a preference for brunette women. In fact, we haven't seen him with a blonde since he starred in "One Fine Day" with Michelle Pheiffer. If your locks are anything lighter than chestnut, you might want to go a shade or two darker. You can always dye it back once you're happily installed in his villa on Lake Como.

2. Become an

By Brady Tripp for HowAboutWe.com

Last week, we talked about some Facebook practices women indulge in - none of which were very surprising to any men who have close female friends - and it's raised an interesting question, which is: do men have any similarly stalker-ish/passive-aggressive-ish tendencies on The Facebook?

Related: The Crazy Things Women Do On Facebook

Definitely, I say…but in different ways. And I don't know that I'd call all of them crazy, because I maybe possibly have and will likely again indulge in some of them myself.

Here they are:

1. Seeing if she matches my 3am memory - Thank you, facebook, for sparing us 21st-century men the traumas of our fathers, which was setting up a date with a girl late late late on a Friday night, only to discover upon meeting her for said date (in better lighting?) that she does not exactly match my recollection. Now we can look up that new name on the interweb Saturday morning and reassess if needed. (*Also valuable for checking