The goal of online dating is to get offline as quickly as possible.

A lot of people try to use sarcasm to flirt, and it tends not to read well. Most people who are successful at flirting do so via instant message instead of email. The best way to flirt is to care deeply about whatever your date is saying and to focus all of your attention on him or her. Ask thoughtful questions. Take a keen interest in the conversation. Be enthusiastic.

The goal of online dating is to get offline as quickly as possible.

Good profiles mentioned characteristics that would probably be true for all of us, such as: "I want someone who will make me laugh." About Me sections with fewer than a hundred words tend to be clearly popular. Short profiles that express just enough information to pique someone's interest work best.

Make a list. Score your dates. Market yourself wisely. Find your needle.

Peak hours for sending a first email through the online dating system tended to be during work (eleven A.M. to four P.M.) and then just after dinner (seven P.M. to nine P.M.). I did have a few women send me a first message after eleven P.M. Those who did had an 82 percent chance of coming from a profile that had too many words.

Most people don't wear glasses in the U.S., and we're not conditioned to finding men and women who wear glasses sexy. If you need your glasses to see, find a good optometrist who can outfit you with a great frame, thin lenses, and a high-quality anti-reflective coating.