Relationships Talk

KISSIMMEE, Fla. – Three men accused of using a dating app to lure their victim to a Kissimmee store and then rob him were arrested Wednesday, according to officials with the Sheriff’s Office.

Osceola County deputies said the victim told authorities he thought he was going to meet up with a woman he met on a dating app just before 7 p.m. Dec. 5 in the area of Sevilla Plaza on West Irlo Bronson Highway.

Surveillance video first shows the assailants waiting for the victim to come out of the store before they confronted him and told him he was under arrest. The victim said he believed the men were law enforcement and complied with their requests.

 Authorities said the three suspects made the victim escort them to his hotel room, where they demanded money and then fled in a dark-colored vehicle.

With help from tips from the community, Osceola County Sheriff’s Office Robbery Unit tracked down and arrested the suspects, Kenneth Waldrop, 22, Adam Zsiga, 30, and Terry Brown, 55.

Deputies said the suspects specifically targeted the victim.

The three men are charged with armed robbery with a firearm, aggravated assault, kidnapping, grand theft and impersonating a law enforcement officer.

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Kate Gosselin is looking for love on an upcoming TLC dating show, but her ex-husband seems to think she’s looking in all of the wrong places.

In a new interview with Us Weekly, Jon Gosselin, who has been dating his former childhood friend, Colleen Conrad, since 2014, revealed that he doesn’t think his estranged ex-wife, Kate, will find her next man on a reality TV show.

“I don’t think anyone can [find love on TV]. I think you need to find it [organically].”

Earlier this year, it was announced that Kate Gosselin would let cameras follow her dating life on TLC’s Kate Plus Date, but the network has not yet given a premiere date. When the show does finally air, the Gosselins’ eight kids — twins Cara and Mady and sextuplets Aaden, Alexis, Collin, Hannah, Joel, and Leah — will not be seen on the series. This is because Jon would not allow his teen kids to be filmed.

“I didn’t sign their work permits,” the former Jon and Kate Plus 8 star said. “That’s why they can’t film. They came to me and I was like, ‘No, I’m not signing that.’”

That could explain why Jon Gosselin is currently estranged from his ex-wife — and more than half of his kids.

Kate Gosselin previously expressed excitement over her Kate Plus Date series, telling People that — nearly a decade after her messy divorce from Jon — she is ready to give love another try.

“I’m nervous, I’m excited, and I’m forcing myself to do this,” Kate Gosselin said. The mother-of-eight also revealed that it’s her kids who are pushing her to find someone.

“It was very apparent, now that they’re older and talking about dating and how they’re all gonna get married someday… it became apparent: they want someone for me. They want me to have somebody in my life.”

Kate Gosselin admitted that she even started picturing herself as a “spinster,” and realized that she didn’t want that to be her fate after her kids move out. But the busy mom also realized that normal dating would be out of the question due to her reality TV fame.

“I mean, online dating, seriously — I put my profile in there and people will know who it is within 90 seconds. No, this is probably the safest way for me to date, let’s be honest… If I’m going to date someone, I can’t just go out on a date — it’s creepy to me to think of just going out somewhere with some stranger, and so I actually feel like doing it like this is the best and safest way for me to go on a date — a camera crew will be there! I’ll be safe! And the person will have been vetted by a matchmaker.”

As for her type of man, Kate Gosselin said she wants to date “a grown-up with their own life.” He will have to have a set career, love dogs, and be self-sufficient. Kate doesn’t mind if her future guy travels for work, because she’s used to having her space.

While most of the Gosselin kids are not on speaking terms with their dad, Jon, right now — Kate hopes her new man can be a friend to them.

“I would love my kids to have a mutual friendship and respect with this guy and for him to be someone they can ask for advice. It would be great for my kids to have someone they can feel like is a real friend.”

There is no official air date for Kate Plus Date.

Hey, if they work, why not??

By Lisa Holden

Frankly, I’ve been starting to wonder if my old tried-and-true dating advice and tips have gotten stale lately.

So I decided to take a break from my own online dating experiments and waxing poetic about dating sites and apps to listen in on what gentlemen have to say about what works — and what doesn’t — when it comes to figuring out how to get a guy to like you.

RELATED: 11 Psychological Tricks That Make Him Want You Sooo Much More

Here is some honest dating advice from men for single women navigating the world of love and relationships online.

1. Give good app

My roommate’s boyfriend, who asked to be referred to by his stage name, “Bruschetta Veuve Clicquot,” insisted that it’s all about engagement on the apps, and that you shouldn’t be afraid to get weird.

Clicquot explained, “Any content can be made funny or personal. Compulsively make jokes until they’re so bought in, they have to go on a date. By the time you bring it up, they’re having such a good time, they’ve already said yes in their head.”

Perhaps he’s onto something; it worked on my roommate.

In that same vein, put something unique in your profile that the other person can work with. If you love your friends and family, that’s great, but what’s the other person supposed to say to that? Something about you that is just a little weird provides excellent fodder for conversation.

Stuff like, “I go crazy for a good sunset” or “I still watch Boy Meets World reruns” are just nerdy enough to also be endearing and excellent conversation starters, according to a guy I recently went on a handful of dates with — whose actual best move, by the way, is to take a lady to wine country for the day. Bravo, sir.

2. Have a good follow-up plan

When it comes to back-and-forth exchanges, there are many reasons you might fall off someone’s radar. The good news is, according to data collected by the folks at Hinge, sending a second message can re-engage that person more often than not.

Here are a few of the highest-quality examples of reengaging texts I’ve come across from guys:

• “This is so us, me doing all the talking and you just sitting there looking cute.” Flattery. If it doesn’t work, at the very least the recipient of this will smile.
• “Whoa weird autocorrect! I meant, ‘Would you like to get a drink on Thursday?'” Whatever question you asked or topic you raised didn’t land, so throw a Hail Mary; what have you got to lose?
• “I think I just saw you. Are you in my neighborhood right now?” Make them wonder if they almost just met you IRL.

RELATED: How To Make A Man Fall In Love With You In 9 Easy Steps (Yes, Really!)

3. Gather data

“Gather as much data as you can right away,” said an economist I used to work with.

This brilliant advice came when I was debating bringing a new guy I was dating to my work Christmas party.

“It’s a waste of time to wait and see how someone interacts with your friends, family, coworkers etc.,” he explained over lunch. “As soon as you know you like someone, find out how they are in fancy situations, in nature, in dive bars, and anywhere else you like to go. Data collection should happen fast so you don’t string someone along longer than you need to.”

My friend Ryan likes to do this to the extreme by getting into the nitty-gritty topics like politics, religion, and sexuality on first dates.

“Off limits? More like required discussion,” Ryan said. “On a first date, I liked to bring up typically taboo subjects like religion, politics, mental illness, toilet humor, racism, drug use, periods, etc. to see how they react. Sometimes it scares women off, but sometimes you have a better connection with someone who’s willing to get into things right away.”

To be clear, this would never, ever work with me, but it did for Ryan. He’s currently dating someone who was willing to talk about poop with a stranger.

4. Get creative with your date ideas

“Do something crazy like fly fishing,” said a guy I went on three dates with who asked to be referred to as “no comment.” (Not everyone is comfortable dating a writer.)

His point was that you should pick something totally crazy that you like to do and see if there’s a stranger out there willing to do it with you. Everyone can go out for a cocktail, but suggesting something you like to do will at least ensure one of you has a good time.

“Best third date ever is finger-painting,” according to someone on my trivia team.

After you’ve done a first date drinks and second date dinner, mix it up with something that’s fun, tactile, and, most important, unexpected.

Apparently, this move is a good one to repeat regularly because at worst it’s a fairly inexpensive way to fill your home with original art and at best it could lead to a fourth date.

Long-distance dating? Find something you can do together that you can work on separately.

“My boyfriend and I trained for a half marathon together when we lived in different cities,” said a longtime cohort of mine.

It gave them something to talk about on the phone and a shared goal they could feel great about completing together. When it came time for the race, I won’t share who beat whom, but let’s just say the boyfriend-now-husband likes to gloat about this dating tip all the time.

5. Be better

You’d be surprised how low the bar is. When I asked guys for their most creative tips, it took longer than expected to gather what I just shared. When I realized it would be tough, I asked the ladies in my circle about the best things guys had ever done on dates, and the responses were bleak.

Here’s a brief list of what the incredibly smart and talented women I surround myself with recalled as some of the “best” things men have done on dates:

• “Made plans and stuck to them.” That’s right, the best thing a guy has ever done is show up).
• “Asked me about me instead of babbling about himself all night.” Also known as human decency.
• “A subtle touch when things were going well. A brush against a shoulder after a joke or a light stroke on the hand can go a long way.” Note: that’s desired physical contact.
• “Remembered something random I mentioned offhand and then turned that into a date.” So … he listened.
• “I’m drawing a blank.” Exactly.

The main dating tip takeaway from this section is: realize how low the bar is and be man enough to rise far above it.

In general, dating isn’t about trying to get as many guys to like you finding as possible, it’s about finding the one with whom the interest is the most mutual.

With that said, don’t be afraid to be a little quirky and communicative right off the bat. And don’t forget your manners.

Raise that bar, and good luck out there.

RELATED: How To Send Sweet Text Messages & Make A Guy Feel Deeply Attached To You

Lisa Holden lives in San Francisco, California and has been on more than 100 first dates. A branding and communications professional by day, she pulls from this knowledge to help her friends and readers determine how to behave before, during and after a date.

This article was originally published at Popsugar. Reprinted with permission from the author.