KTF40 - the Internet has become real life. Don't be hard on yourself.
As for the original poster's inquiry ... I haven't met anyone off the Internet in about 8 years because that was when I met my girlfriend (now wife). But before that, in the late nineties - early 2000's, I used AOL with stellar results. I guess I had the opposite problem - I only found random sex/hook ups, no long term relationships. But simply looking up members profiles for females near my area and IM-ing them was all I needed to do to meet them and hook up or have sex. Often I would meet them the very night we chatted online. The key is to get them interested by having a pic of yourself (or a webcam), and write about sex. I found that a good opener to the sex conversation was, "Have you ever met anyone from online in person?" If they say no, you might be wise to not waste your time. (This is essentially a rhetorical question.) But if you happen to find the rare prude or first time chatter, chances are you;re not going to get to meet her in person. Work on the ones who have spread their pussies for other guys off the Internet. It's more likely you'll get your chance at bat. Once you find out that she has met a guy offline in person a good follow-up question is, "What is the furthest you've ever gone the first time you met someone off the Internet." This is essentially the modern day, "How far would you go on a first date." If she's game, she'll start asking you questions like that. You can either tell the truth and say you've never met anyone off the internet. She may find that endearing and want to be your first. However, if you don't get good results this way, it may be advisable to lie (or fib) and describe a hook-up session you allegedly had over the internet. Something that often worked for me - I used to say that I met multiple women off the internet. This is not so brash because chances are she's met more guys than you (or any guy) has met girls. Then I like to say notwithstanding this promiscuity, many of them you would have wanted to have a long term relationship with, but they were just into a one-night-stand or having a fuck-buddy. This makes them think you're willing to hook up, but your heart is in the right place. That way if she meets you and not only has good sex, she can also consider you for the long term. I have to admit, that was a lie. Very few of the women I met did i want to have a long term relationship with. I was still much more of a gentleman than most scum on AOL, but, and this is my last tip for you ...
You have to be more willing to have the NSA sex than doing it with a hot girl. I fucked and ate a lot of pussies of girls you might consider 5's, 4's, even 3's. I had a few 7's, maybe an 8, but you've got to go into this hoping for a plain jane and be willing to hook up with even less attractive. Also, maybe times have changed since the late nineties - early 2000's, but practically all the girls I met off the internet had full, bushy vaginas. Not a problem for me because I'm a hairy pussy lover. But unless styles have changed since I met my girlfriend now wife, internet pussies were hairy pussies, So be aware and love the hair. I'm here to tell you that notwithstanding their looks, these girls were all incredibly fun in bed. Maybe it was the randomness of it. Even though some of them were verging on obese or facially unattractive I was never unable to rise to the occasion. And I always came! In fact, internet sessions tended to be those marathon cum sessions. So be ready to cum three times in one night. I used to 69, cum, 69 again, cum again, amd just when the sun was coming up finally have sex. Nothing like driving home at 6:30 in the morning with a spent dick with post cum dripping in your underwear. And no, I'm not being sarcastic, it's a great feeling. Good luck.