That is a tricky question, isn’t it? Let’s evaluate the question in some details. So you have met this person on the Net that you are having a great time with. You are heading home after work with the same zest that you come to work with. You are chatting with the person late into the night, without worrying about the early morning presentation that you have. These maybe the tell-tale signs of having fallen in love with an online friend. But will this relationship bloom? Will this morph into love that will be for keeps? These are questions that can only be answered after a certain period of time, once you get to know this person better and in a more involved way.

There maybe times when you are in doubt about the status of this relationship. People you meet online are not always transparent about who they are and what they do. You have to be cautious about the information you share with this person. You would not like to be taken for a ride when you are hopelessly attracted to this person. Check out the authenticity of information that you know about this person and if you are serious about continuing the relationship, make it clear to the person. The relationship will only bloom when both of you are on the same wavelength. If you find the person is not committed enough, then it’s time to take stock of the situation.

The main aspect of online love is the element of mystery. Enjoy it. There’s no point really in ensuring the future of a relationship and forgetting to savor the daily moments of tenderness. You can live in the moments, but at the same time, be prepared for the unexpected. Bad experiences are as like to happen as good ones. Have you had a bad experience looking for love online? Or have you found your soul mate? We’d like to hear you!

St. Patrick’s Day is historically an Irish festival. But, of late, it has lost its religious fervor, taking on a more secular meaning. So, on St. Patrick’s Day we find people taking part in St. Patrick’s Day parades and fun activities though they are not religious in the true sense of the term. The symbols associated with St. Patrick’s Day have strong religious and historical significance. We have these symbols painted on t-shirts and banners, but when I asked my friends if they knew what they symbolized, I was taken aback by the answers! Rick said, “Is that a test? Are we bar hopping or not?” and Adrian said, “Umm, well, I know the shamrock has three leaves and they are green!”

For all those who don’t know the St. Patrick’s symbols, here’s a quick rundown. Adrian is right about the shamrock, but only in its description! Actually the three leaves of the clover represent the Holy Trinity. The shamrock is also the plant that the ancient Celtic people associated with Spring, the season of rebirth. The leprechaun are small fairies which can be found in the pages of Celtic folklore. They are painted in gray colors sometimes, but on the whole, they are very likeable.

Something more. Megan, my sous chef friend, told me about some great St. Patrick’s Day recipes that I would like to share with you. These are easy to make and can really spice up your St. Patrick’s Day this year! The first one that she is all for is the chocolate cheesecake, which happens to be Megan’s personal favorite. To add the Irish flavor, you can accent it with Guinness! You can also decorate the cake with chocolate clovers that look like the shamrock. You can also try the Irish stew. This can be a great alternative for the more conventional corn and cabbage meal that you associate with St. Patrick’s Day. Irish bread is another perennial favorite. You can top it with Irish whiskey that’s smooth. You can have it as a cocktail as well. These St. Patrick’s Day recipes are a great way to celebrate the day. Food is a very important aspect of many festivals, and it is no different for this festival. Food that is typical of a day has also memories attached to it. I can easily recollect the days I spent as a child, enjoying these food items prepared by my parents. They make wonderful memories. You can write in with more St. Patrick’s Day recipes. We’d love to publish them on the blog.

The news circuit is agog with the facts coming in about the NFL players who were in the boat that overturned off the west coast of Florida. The survivor of this tragedy, Nick Schuyler, told the Coast Guards that his friends on the boat took off their life vest after surviving in the frozen water for hours. This is a show great grit and determination by Nick who hung on to the overturned boat for nearly 48 hours. The other players on the boat were Marquis Cooper (Oakland Raiders linebacker), Corey Smith (NFL defensive lineman) and William Bleakley (South Florida player).

The accounts that Nick has narrated to the Coast Guards are shocking and chilling. The players who got thrown off the 21-foot Everglades boat had life-vests, but they could not keep them on because of the cold. Nick recollected how the other players took off the life-vests and disappeared under water. Schuyler showed immense survival instincts by hanging on to the life-vest. One of these players were scheduled to be available for football practices in the following week. Such is life. There may be a life-changing event waiting to happen at the next corner and while you stroll into it, your life changes for ever. If you have any such instances that you would like to share with us, you can chime in.