the beginning of a relationship?

Do you remember what it was like when you were in the fetal stage of a relationship? There is a hesitancy in divulging too much, too fast while at the same time wishing the beginning was over and you were happily ensconced in the middle of the relationship. Is it more difficult while trying to do all this thru a "personals" ad. There is no body language to read. There are no eyes to gaze into. So then what?
A bit of information at a time. From the profile you've already gleaned some facts about this person of interest. And you must assume they are facts. If they are not, that will come out over time. You send an email or some type of icebreaker. That person replies, or not. Do you wonder if the answer is arriving to your "inbox" as you are busy at your job? Oh, yes. For the beginning is always a bit fun. A bit nerve-wracking too. You have to be honest. Build the foundation. Eager to move things along and anxious about the first face-to-face meeting. How many emails go back and forth before the first meeting? There is a minimum of course. And your instinct will guide you to knowing when the time has come to have coffee together.
Coffee? Or do you perhaps have lunch first? Or dinner? Meet for coffee. If things go well, you can add in the lunch or dinner. And who suggests the meeting? The man or the woman? Really, it's 2005. Does it matter? In a word, yes. It can be either, and it does matter that it's done. Probably by whoever is the most comfortable bringing it up.
In the end, the beginning is an exciting time. A time of anticipation - awaiting the next contact. A time of patience - said contact might not come as soon as you would wish. A time of getting to know more and more - asking questions, giving answers. A time when all things are possible - maybe this one is "the one".