(Originally found at Daily Dating Advice via @badonlinedates.)

SYNOPSIS:
For trust fund baby, Merrideth Weisman, everything seems perfect: perfect friends, perfect house, perfect Black American Express Card. Life is too good to be true. However, matters take a turn for the worst when Merri discovers her perfect fiance is a “Cheating, Scumbag, Bastard!” After a broken engagement and her father’s ultimatum to find a job, Merri realizes that the key to her survival is not a career, but a man. And so, the race to the altar begins as she is forced to plunge headfirst into the deep end of the dating pool… the ONLINE dating pool, that is. Soon, Merri is cast into a world wide web of men only to experience the ups and downs of cyber love in the 21st Century!
~ About the Show

A “Social Strategist” contacted me about this show, and I have to admit I enjoy it — and I’m not even dating online. Each episode is just a few minutes long and features Merri on a date with a different guy. The show illustrates just about every online dating cliche you can think of (“He’s cheating on his girlfriend!” … “He’s not as good-looking as his profile picture suggests”) and closes with a profile pic and “cupcake rating” of the guy Merri just dated.

If only due to the nature of the medium, the men are no more than caricatures. Their looks quotients and mannerisms easily help the viewer categorize them into various “types.” And Merri seems like your typical affluent L.A. princess who is looking for a husband because her daddy (Tom Arnold?!?) is going to take away her trust fund. She has her snarky girlfriend and her “gay friend,” who thankfully isn’t portrayed stereotypically. But I have no complaints. It’s professionally-produced, well-acted and funny.

You can view episodes at MERRIme.com and The Frisky. You can view a promo below:

Image Credit: Press photo by Eric Scot.

Comment below: What do you think of the show?

I was lucky enough to chat with the authors about what flirtexting means to the young and texty. Here are some of their tips and tricks to make this work for you.

Deb & Liv, the Textperts

When did the shift in our culture happen such that texting became an essential part of the mating game?
The shift began in the early 2000s along with the rise of cell phone use. Texting is a convenient way for people to connect with one another throughout our fast-paced lives. When we no longer have time to make a phone call, we now have the option of sending a text message. People are much more willing to check a text message than they are to return a call or listen to a voicemail.

Our culture recently picked up that texting with a potential mate helps enhance the connection they already made face to face. The act of exchanging flirty text messages while dating helps build upon that connection and furthers the development of the relationship. Hence, the text message has become today’s electronic love note.

Why must girls learn to flirtext?
Flirtexting has become a supplemental tool in today’s mating game. There is no argument that guys have taken to texting girls and girls to texting guys. Guys who are interested in girls can get nervous and a lot of the time will text message their lady of interest before making a call. Girls must learn to embrace this new electronic form of flirting and use it to their advantage to get what they want out of it.

Are there any rules for the flirtexting virgin?
Beginners should note a few important tips: if you want a date, don’t abbreviate. Also keep in mind that you should always respond back to a flirtext within 24 hours; anything beyond that reads uninterested. Lastly, know when to pick up the phone. Flirtexting is great for fun, light flirting throughout the day to keep a spark going or to reinforce it. If you have something lengthy or heavy to discuss, it’s best to pick up the phone.

How long should I wait to text someone after I met him if I want to see him again? How long should I wait to respond to his texts?
If a guy gets your number and sends you an initial text, then feel free to respond back within the following 24 hours. However just know that the sooner you respond, the more eager you will seem to him. If you like this guy and want to play your cards right, respond within the next 2-6 hours to let him know you’re into it, but hope there’s more to come!

What’s the best way to respond to unwanted or creepy texts?
Don’t respond. When a guy is being overbearing or super pushy over text, no matter what your response is, responding at all is feeding his hunger. Best way to get him to stop with the unwanted texts is to ignore him. Sooner or later he’ll take the hint.

What should you do if a guy you like doesn’t return your text?
It depends. If you’ve been in a texting marathon and he suddenly drops off your radar, you can send something funny to get him back on: “Should I assume you ran out of text minutes??” However if the situation finds you texting dead air to no avail, assume he’s just not that into your texts. Safe to say, you need to find a new flirtexting partner.

I find it can be hard to flirtext when I’m trying to be funny or sarcastic. Any tips for avoiding miscommunication?
If you think the person on the receiving end might not get your humor via text, pick up the phone and call. Or throw in one of these ;). That’s saying you’re kidding around in a way that is less obvious than the generic smiley face.

Is it possible to “train” a guy to text me differently?
Absolutely, and we encourage it. It is your responsibility to teach someone how to treat you. So if a guy sends a LNBT (late night booty text) trying to hang out with you and you don’t want him to get off that easy, then you should wait to respond back until the next day, during daylight hours. This will show him that you are not the kind of girl who responds to his late night pleas, and he will contact you during non LNBT hours next time.

Phew! I love these tips, especially the reminder that sometimes it’s best to pick up the phone and call. And now that LNBT is on the radar, we can keep that in mind for when the clock strikes twelve and the texts start rolling in.

The book has more detailed examples of what to say in specific situations and how to make over your basic texts and turn them into flirtexts. They also demonstrate what kind of flirtexts will have the opposite effect (think “desptexts”).

If you’re the kind of girl who believes the fastest way to a man’s heart is through his thumbs, this book is definitely this summer’s must-read!

Follow Deb & Liv on Twitter @flirtexting or read their blog.

Related posts:

• 10 ways to stop drunken texting

• The dangers of sexting ur pic

But does that mean the end? Not necessarily. Countless people are going online to post subtle descriptions of that certain mysterious someone wearing a particular accessory. What a romantic notion: two complete strangers, living and working in a city where everyone is somewhat skeptical of one another, noticing each other in passing, connecting in the subway or at a concert? What kind of person doesn’t get a little weak in the knees thinking about that magic moment?

Short of searching high and low for one particular person in a city of millions (or even just a suburb of thousands), you likely won’t find that stranger again. Plus, even if you manage to come across them again in the future, who’s to say you won’t turn into that stuttering mess of hormones and awkward sentences that utters caveman talk rather than intelligible speech? “Me like dress” accompanied by a thumbs up and an over-exaggerated smile. Pretty embarrassing, wouldn’t you agree?

Luckily, we live in the digital age, and you can test your dating theories with Craigslist by posting your “missed connection.” With the safeguard of anonymity and the option to post your picture or not, you can see if that certain someone (what was their name again?) felt the same spark, those same fireworks during your brief encounter. Of course, browsing the Missed Connections section of Craigslist, you’re bound to come across adolescent breakup tirades about how someone broke another person’s heart (which actually belong in “Rants and Raves”), but there are also genuine people who actually regret missing their opportunity and might find a second chance in Craigslist now.

Include whatever details you want. Maybe you remember every facet of the conversation you two shared on the airplane, or perhaps you just remember they were standing outside of a coffeehouse wearing sunglasses last Friday. Perhaps you’re not looking to meet again and all you wanted to say was that you enjoyed their company, or maybe their sleepy eyes and pouty lips are driving you wild and you need to buy them a drink, extra ice, stat! In fact, someone could be posting one about you this very second, hoping that you remember them from the laundry mat, the mention of tighty-whities a dead giveaway.

And maybe they read your post, maybe they don’t. Maybe they respond with “flattered, but seeing someone” or “the feeling was mutual, let’s meet again?” That’s too many maybes to count, I know; what’s certain, however, is that Craigslist does offer a second chance, however slim the odds. The ten minutes you invest in writing a blurb about your encounter could help you reconnect you with your dreamboat. Seems like a pretty good alternative to fuming about your missed opportunity for weeks on end.

Related:: Casual Encounters: Strangers connecting on Craigslist