Have you spent any time with the guy on-line in real life? I ask this because the fact is until you spend time with him in real life what you have with him is ficticious. He could in reality be anyone. It is easy to set up a persona on-line and maintain it for a extremely long time because when you don't feel like you can hold the persona you just don't get on-line.

Your boy friend however is real. You know the truth about who he is, how he acts in the long term and his real life personality problems.

I have lived through this situation. The suduction of the on-line man who has the ability to limit interaction with you to only the times when he is the "proper" mood is irresitable because he can always say the right things because he doesn't have to think on his feet and through mix emotions. He doesn't have to cope with the every day stresses of a relationship. He just comes in when he is in his best suit and says what we want to hear. It is easy to love this man.

It is not so easy for the "live" boyfriend who must respond immediatly in the face of your anger. Who has to try to make things work when he just isn't up to it at the moment.

I am not saying what you should or shouldn't do. Just trying to put some perspective.
Good luck.
Carrie