Wow PB! You sound really upset. I've been on the internet since before they invented it (still have my "AOL version 1.0 for DOS disk!) so if I could just offer an insight...

Hooking up with people online is something a whole lot of people are doing these days. It can be a great way to meet people and I truly believe that the anonymity can promote people to be more honest than they would otherwise. You can get to know someone much better in the same amount of time as you might in a face to face relationship...at the same time it requires the utmost saavy and caution to weed out the liars and jerks. I tried the whole "internet dating" thing a few years ago when it seemed like all my friends were doing it. None of them ever worked out so I went back to meeting girls the old fashioned way...in a bar! At the same time I have made some really great friends online. One girl, who I love dearly, maintained a constant dialogue online with me for 2 1/2 years before she turned up at the bar where I was working part time for training. I was assigned to train her. There was never a romantic interest between us...but we continue to be good friends. She has since moved to Florida.

The internet "chat" environment is kind of like a great big bar for people...a social gathering place you might say. But like any bar, it has more than it's share of jerks. Many of them find it easy to prey on those who are new to the scene. Some almost make a science out of it.

Getting back to your post... It might be different for men than for women, but I've never found it easy to meet someone special when I was "looking for it". The best relationships I've ever had came along by accident.

One last thought...

Once a relationship goes south I think the best thing to do is move on so you're out there to see when a good one comes up. In my experience, once somebody who is supposed to love you shows you that they are an ass...it doesn't get better, but it always gets worse. If someone cheats on me, I turn my back and never look back. There are no second chances with some things, especially that.

I look forward to seeing you in the chat again. Good luck to you. I'm sure better days await you!