Considering online dating? Welcome, we've been waiting for you. No, no, really we have. Nearly 40 million of us according to the talented folks at Match.com. And that's a good thing, because one of the most compelling aspects of online dating is increasing our odds of meeting the "one". So the more the merrier!

The point is, if you are considering dating online you will become part of the new normal. According to market researcher Neilsen, 10% of the population in the United States log onto a dating site every month. And since nearly 40 percent of adults over 50 years are single, divorced, or widowed (according to NPR), it's easy to see why 50+ is the fastest growing segment online. So, if you are a baby boomer and you are dating online, you really are part of the mainstream.

Maybe it's because we are now able to see and feel our body's age and limits, or maybe it's because we know the emotional pain and financial setback that comes from being in the wrong relationship, we are motivated! Either way, online dating increases the chance of finding the right person, right now.

And how else are we to meet someone anyway? At our age, trolling bars not only makes us look desperate - but we also run the risk of looking like the town drunk or worse. And as well meaning as our friends in our social circle can be, I'm leery to take their recommendations. I adore my friends, bless their hearts, but some aspects of my life I like to keep private.

Here's the irony - online dating sites really are not about dating at all. They are about connecting with someone who eventually agrees to meet face to face and THEN potentially date. You are just trying to get to square one. It is a distinction I consider to be important and will bring up numerous times, for sure.

So remember, I'm online, my friends are online, your friends are online, and hopefully "the one" is online looking for you.

Next post, I'll lay out the basics of the how and what of online dating. Thanks for reading.