Blog Posts by HowAboutWe

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

by Scott Alden for HowAboutWe

Maybe you're not looking for a long term relationship. That's fine. Maybe you're not even looking for short term dating. Okay. You're just here to get laid. Cool. There are other sites out there for you. Just Google your intentions and you'll find a cornucopia of hook up services, ready to click. Please go there now.

Related: Would You Ever Date A "Never-Nude?"

For the rest of you, who are looking for soulmate, a bowling partner, or something in between, we're glad to have you. We also understand that, while you may be on a dating site to go out on dates, you're interested in sex, too. It's cool. Everybody is. Sex and dating go hand in hand.

Related: 5 Perfectly Good Reasons You Might Be Single

Because we can assume that most people on a dating site are, in fact, interested in having sex at some point, we can safely say that there is absolutely no reason on earth to mention sex in your profile, or (please please please no) in a

By Chiara Atik for HowAboutWe.com

While it might seem unromantic to meet someone for a date before work, breakfast dates can be completely awesome. Here's why you should meet your next date at 8 am instead of 8 pm.

1. It's Just Quirky Enough

A breakfast date is the perfect date for people who want to break away from their "let's meet for drinks" dating rut, but don't want to stray too far from their comfort zone. Waking up early to meet someone for coffee and eggs at a diner is just unusual enough to feel special and fun, but really you're still just meeting someone at a restaurant for a meal. Sometimes, the simple act of doing something out of the ordinary with someone is enough to create a spark.

Beware The Guy Who Spends Too Much On A First Date

2. Easy Conversation Starters

Worried you'll need something to talk about? Bring a copy of today's paper! You can easily use the headlines to start a conversation: "Hey, did you hear about _____?" Just make sure it's nothing too

"Slut" is a funny word. Not funny haha, but funny strange. The meaning and the power of the word changes drastically depending on who's using it and to whom they're speaking. Between some women friends, slut has become almost a term of endearment. Some women like to be called a slut in sexual situations only, because it turns them on. The word has even been re-purposed by women as a symbol of power and the freedom to have sex with who they want to when they want to (ie. The Ethical Slut or Toronto's recent "slut walk").

Related: Guys, Stop being Jealous And Just Get Better At Sex

Now, maybe it's the result of backlash against political correctness. Maybe it's confusion. Possibly, it's just straight-up douchebaggery. But it seems that men are still using the word "slut" as a means of shaming and judging women for their sexual practices and style of dress.

Related: What Sex Means To Men - 6 Deep Dark Secrets

The Gloss anonymously interviewed seven men from different