Ah... first dates... they're fun, nerve wracking, and filled with possibility. But say the wrong thing and your first date could be your last. Want to know what NOT to say. Here's an article with some great tips. The author of this particular article stresses that you shouldn't talk about the crazier side of life: medications, recovery speak, therapy, and the like.

It isn't that you're hiding your real self on a first date. All of us have quirks and oddities and even sad stories that don't seem so bad once someone knows us. But a first date doesn't know you yet, so you've got to present your best self and let the person get to know you before you launch into your poor childhood, your string of inappropriate people, or your recent stint in rehab.

In this fast paced society where everything comes so easily, the best advice is to take things slowly at first. Let your date get a sense of who you are before you haul out all your baggage.

Have you tried online dating? If so, did you meet anyone special?

Internet dating was good for me, but every once in a while I talk to someone that complains that they either didn't meet anyone or met tons of the "wrong people." What kind of wrong people? How about liars and cheats and unscrupulous folks?

Those are definitely some "wrong people!"

But a new site thinks they can change people's perceptions about online dating. My Future Spouse.com is offering a risk free, 30-day guarantee where members can receive and full refund if they're not happy. This is very different than Match.com's six months free if you haven't met someone in six months.

This is essentially saying, if you find out you hate Internet dating, we'll erase this experience from your mind by refunding all your money.

They say they can do this because their site is more "marriage focused" and since their members pay to join they are on the up and up.

While I applaud anyone that tries to improve someone's experience with online dating, I'm hesitant to believe singles will have any better experience on this site than any other. I think single people need to be careful no matter who they are dating, and they need to be smart about giving out information, meeting people, and getting serious. To me, the experience someone has on a dating site depends largely on the single, and not as much as the guarantees on the site.

Am I wrong? Would you try this service based on the guarantee? Why or why not?

Think there are too many women in the online dating world?

You may be right. Match.com is now doing a series of ads targeting men. The campaign is titled "Too Many Women" and will encourage guys to sign up for the site. Guys that sign up before September 14th will also get one week free.

Remember that Match.com also offers a "make love happen" guarantee, which means if you don't find someone special in six months, they give you six months free. Now what six months from tomorrow is? Valentine's Day.

Hmm... that couldn't have anything to do with it. Could it?

There's just something that makes me love this site, "I Do, Now I Dont." People that call off engagements and break up can sell their possessions. So if you're stuck with the engagement ring and don't want to keep it for sentimental reasons, perhaps this is one place you could get a few bucks for it.

The flip side of this is that WHO is going to buy a used engagement ring? Even if it's used once, it's still used. Would you have a problem with this? I know of many women that would, and I can't blame them.

When I called off my first engagement, I got a mere $75 for the ring. This was 20 years ago, mind you, but still. $75? For a RING? Was it a piece of garbage? Probably. With the scum ball my ex-fiancé turned out to be it's VERY likely the darn thing wasn't even real.

Still, when we broke up, I was left with the ring. I lived in another state then (and moved to be with him.... silly girl that I was) and on the drive back home I literally stopped off at a jeweler, pulled the ring off my finger, and asked them what they could give me for the ring. I didn't negotiate, didn't go anywhere else. The guy behind the counter said $75, which I pocketed happily.

I took that money and bought a pink denim mini skirt which I wore later that night at a club, where my girlfriends and I happily celebrated my new single status.

If you dating life is in a slump, maybe you should consider a little dating school.

No, I'm not talking about an actual classroom, but more on the order of a dating consultant, like this woman. I loved her advice in this article, especially about first dates:

"Thinking that a first date should be a Friday or Saturday night dinner and movie. There's so much pressure. It's supposed to be fun and playful. By doing a short date, you get to experience the person. And if you like them, you get the opportunity to think about them and miss them."

Before you roll your eyes at me, it's something singles are doing because they just can't seem to find the right person. I used to work as an online dating coach, helping singles write Internet profiles that catch attention. In today's dating world, you have to present your very best self. Sometimes the nervousness we feel around a girl or guy we like can ruin our chances of getting a date.

If you have trouble writing a profile, approaching a love interest, or even making a good impression on a first date, consider going to a dating coach. It could make all the difference for your next relationship.

As if single folks don't have enough to think about these days, a new study suggests that the unmarried way of life may increase your risk of dementia.

Apparently the interaction you get on a daily basis when you live with a mate (arguing over cleaning, talking about your weekend, deciding what to have for dinner, etc.) goes a long way in increasing your social interaction. This type of communication helps maintain a healthier lifestyle and go ward off dementia.

If you're single, however, don't fret. Eating a "Mediterranean diet" and exercising regularly also helps.