Yep it sure is. For me it's nice to meet someone who likes to talk as much as I do! My last gentleman companion was very quiet and shy - he opened up one-on-one but in a group he was pretty quiet - painfully quiet. B fits in wherever he is - just like I do, and that's nice - and we can always find something to talk about.

Your first date sounds somewhat like mine - dinner out, turned into we were the last ones out of the restaurant and ended up talking for 2 more hours in the parking lot! It's fun getting to know somebody.

This Friday is a home game for my DD's HS and we're going. We went to the last one too. I need to work the concession stand to work off DD's scholarship - last game I arrived too late (late customer at the shop) but B said he'd like to help out too - that's nice.

I think slowly is the key - I rushed into things way too fast last time around, and was in over my head before I knew it, and I knew it was going to be a train wreck and I felt helpless to stop it (I wasn't - but I chose to ignore red flags... my bad!) This time I'm lucky in that B lives nearby - not on my doorstep but not across the city either (or out of state etc.) so nobody's in a hurry. We can go places and do things and it's not a long drive home for either of us.

Being able to "talk" at the same level is important - both quality-wise, as well as quantity-wise. Being intellectually compatible is important - but one person talking and the other always listening gets old too - for both parties. I'm lucky that B and I seem to take equal turns <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> And I'm not being razzed for my 'gift of gab' - something XH always bugged me about. Hey - I like to talk, what can I say? I'd like to think that much of what I have to say has substance, not just babble (although I've been known to ramble on when nervous!).

BD - I'm glad you're moving on too. You've been through plenty yourself, and IMO you deserve some "me time" with someone who appreciates you. Does wonders for the self-esteem. Speaking for myself, more people have complimented me lately - yeah I've lost weight, but many have just said I *look* better - more content, peaceful, not as harried or stressed. It's true - I am those things these days. Nice to see people notice <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> Pretty soon my head won't fit through the door!

JinGA