We've all been indoctrinated with the story: Boy meets girl, they fall in love, get married, have kids, buy the house with the proverbial white-picket fence and live happily ever after. It's the fairy tale most people aspire to and dream of.

But how the hell are boy and girl supposed to meet in a crazy time when everyone is running around with Motorolas and mocha chinos? How do people find the time to stop and breathe, let alone find the person who fills their hearts with complete joy?

Ever think of looking for love home-shopping style?

Sure, sure ... you may be thinking that only desperate losers look for love through a modem, but more and more people worldwide are seriously considering this as a viable alternative to the bars and meat-markets where singles ordinarily go when patrolling for a love match.

But is it really possible for Romeo to find his Juliet in a chat room? How can you tell if your dream lover is hiding behind that cute little nickname like latinbabyg, _bigmac, hoping_u_r_her or my_girl_friday50? 

Sorry folks, just like in every other area of life, there are no guarantees. Who knows if the woman on the other side of the computer is actually 5 feet 6 inches tall and 120 pounds, or if the man is tall, dark and handsome? But that's the name of the game in chat rooms.

Most people claim they aren't seeking their soul mates, but instead chat for other reasons. Some tickle the keyboard to pass the time, others get information on the qualities that are desirable to the opposite sex. Others use it as a specific tool for meeting people or are just horny and want cyber sex. Whatever the reasons, the indisputable fact remains that there are literally thousands of prospects of fresh meat chatting at any one time with a world of possibilities and discoveries waiting for them. But still the question remains: Is it possible to find love in a chat room? Damn straight it's possible. Just as sure as the sun will rise, love can, and will, find a way - even if it is via a modem. The bottom line is love ain't easy, regardless of where the two people meet. Whether in the real world, or in cyber space, sometimes it's heaven and sometimes it's hell. But that's life - deal with it.  Love is funny, especially when it's discovered through a modem. http://www.offthemark.com/Internet.htm Once you found an Internet love, you'll surely need a support system to help with the pain and sorrow of long-distance relationships. This site promises to be of assistance: http://www.soft.net.uk/ashford/iromance/index.htm Wedding bells have rung for these Internet brides: http://www.cyberwives.freeserve.co.uk/ Chat room links: Excite: http://www.excite.com/communities/ Yahoo: http://edit.my.yahoo.com/?.src=chat&.done=http://chat.yahoo.com/ Microsoft: http://communities.msn.com/chat/ns.asp

Five chat-room communicators expose their online romantic rendezvous: A match made in cyberspace: Christina must talk a good game for Tim to move from California to Michigan. There's no explanation other than love. Just like a mouse, they clicked: Keith and Sue didn't meet in a chat room, they were set up in one. Cajun spice scams for a fresh byte: Ladies, if you come across someone by the nickname fipple64, watch out. There may be trouble on the horizon. Fun, fun, fun 'til daddy takes the keyboard away: Forbidden love. Vic and Heather were like Romeo and Juliet with a twist. At least no one died. Personality isn't everything: Wendy could be living in Colorado right now, but she let Bill return to the Rockies without her.   If all the talk of love and romance has you yearning to read a poem, don't miss this: "Love at 200 Megahertz." Need some tips to get started with your online romance?

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