[Cloudbringer]

Hi Mistral!

I guess I'm going to be the 'voice of experience' for once.. LOL I'm in a committed relationship (ok..no cracks.. I can see the "oh they finally committed Cloudy?" comments! [img]graemlins/biglaugh.gif[/img] ).. .er.. as I was saying! LOL.. I'm in a relationship now with someone I met on a msg board and we talked via icq and voicechat for hours at a time from the first time we communicated off-board.

I would offer this advice, do meet under controled cirucumstances as everyone has suggested , but ONLY if you are interested in continuing the relationship. A restaurant or someplace like that is a good start and Epona's suggestion to tell a friend is important!

I talked to my bf for months before we met in person but by then I'd heard his stories of friends/family/work enough times to know that it always was same and rang true to me. I still made sure several people knew his name and where to find me while I was out there.. and my visit was wonderful! I have to tell you, I was very happy to have done it, despite the cost and concerns I had earlier.

Now it sounds like you live close enough to maybe just have several short 'coffee' visits somewhere public, and that may be all you need to make up your mind about this guy. Be sure you 'feel' good about and don't feel forced into the relationship if YOU aren't comfortable.

As for revealing stuff in email.. I admit that Jim and I were purrrrty darn intimate a few days after we started conversing... but it was several months til we really felt we could talk about the things we disagree on or just discuss a problem without worrying about losing the other because of it.. Trust and love take time to build and maybe this one is the ONE or maybe not.. but only you can decide if you feel it's good and worth pursuing.

I wish you the best of luck, Mistral!!! Do be careful, but don't pass up a chance if you really think it might be ok.. you can always say "BYE" later if it doesn't work out or if it isn't what you want. [img]smile.gif[/img]

Cloudy