i would appreciate male and female perspectives. three weeks ago i started dating. i have been out three times with one person and this past thursday i ended that - see a previous post plx - and tonight i go on a second "blind date" which is a set-up by friends. the first blind date from last week was with a 25 year old party girl who quite frankly was my polar opposite and i had no use for the situation. i am too old/mature at 35 to hang out with someone who's idea of a good time is alcohol posioning and running from the cops. we're going out again, friday.

but seriously tonight is a 29 year old divorced woman with a two year old son. i have a two year old daughter. this is a set -up from friends as well.

what is the "best" route as far as dating? internet? mutual friends? church? grocery store? dui class? it's been 10 years for me and i only started dating three weeks ago because i was out with friends and a woman flirted/hit on me and i didn't feel weird about it.

just wondering.

it has been 10 years for me as well so I don't know how much help I can be. I am in a very small town and pickins are slim. It was not until maybe like the last month or so that I have felt ready to maybe start doing some casual dating. I have played around with the internet dating site thing but nah... not my cup of tea. Don't really wanna meet someone that way. I am not into the bar scene around here because of said reasons you gave for the successful date you had with the 25 year old. That pretty much sums up the men around here that are in the bars. Church would be a nice place if there is anyone single in it who is anywhere near your age. There's not in mine.

dui class or whatever it was you put... what the h*ll is that? LOL grocery stores, haven't run my cart into anyone lately.... blind dates... russian roulette as far as I am concerned! yikes! gotta love those well meaning friends.

I am hoping through college and subbing in the local school districts to be able to meet some other teachers or something like that. otherwise, if anyone else out there has some great ways to meet non alcoholic non party type 30ish something somewhat responsible people who have all of their own teeth... please do share cuz I would kinda like to know too!!! lol mlhb

gekko~
I have tried online dating, even went on two dates with a guy from there. In the end though, online dating just isn't for me. I want to be found.

As far as the grocery store, I wouldn't be opposed to meeting someone there, but I've never been approached.
My church is very family oriented, so that is not an option for me either.

My best bets have been my friends. I have been set up with 3 of my dates thru friends. They all three were nice guys. Two I didn't feel any common interests with, but that doesn't take away from who they are. The third was the best and I saw much potential, but he returned to his previous gf. UGHHHH!!!

My vote is thru friends.
Good luck to you!

Karona

my date tonight canceled because of a work commitment, so she says...ha

so i am a little gunshy on the friends thing. but i will heed heed the advice.

oh well... you have the rest of your life ahead of you to partake in the dating scene. In the mean time, you have hot therapist to look at and help you to tweak what you need to tweak... ;-) You will have good dates and bad ones.... And then one day there will be that special one.. I know I am not ready for anything totally serious yet... working on my career right now and being the best mom I can be. So I look forward to just playing the field a bit. Not for sf or anything like that... I am not that kinda girl! haha Just to hang out with people, have a nice time... ya all know what I mean... mlhb

thx.

i am going to the grocery store now and look lost in the the romance novel section. that should draw the attention of some woman....

yes that is sarcasm.

Hey gekko~~

Let us know how the grocery store pans out for you.

Sorry about your date cancelling out.

Karona

yea, let us know how that works out for ya! ok, I know you were being sarcastic... as a woman, I am totally trying to think where in a grocery store I would find a man most attractive... I will get back to you on that one! haha mlhb

i was thinking gourmet foods....

or toothpaste

Huh.......

I was thinking wine isle!

Karona

wine aisle - possible alcoholic, or at least pretentious.

gourmet/health food - takes care of themselves, enjoys good food, and definitely not a redneck

toothpaste - good hygiene, takes cares of their teeth (excellent character trait), and is buying it in a grocery store - doesn't bargain shop for the important items. all good.

don't get me started on the cookie/snack aisle....

Hey, I don't buy my toiletries at the grocery store, but I do get them at Target....does that redeem me somewhat? <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/pfft.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

*snort*

<img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />DW

Yabbut, if I saw YOU in the gourmet aisle, perusing frou frou ingredients, I might think yer gay....NTTIAWWT

<img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

good points on both^

i'm a target person, esp since i became single. yes that totally redeems you. i would ask you out before you got to the shaving cream with the target emblem on the can.

if i'm just buying bread and milk though, don't bug me, i'm in a hurry.

I suppose it could be perceived that way......I didn't think of that.

Karona

^i was goofing around. wine aisle is pretty cool. unless you are buying like 10 bottles, then we're talking alcoholic.

lol

Ok, I have been thinking on this one... First off, in the grocery store, I would find the man that is PAYING my grocery bill the MOST attractive! hahaha ok, down everyone, just kidding, just kidding...

wine aisle, I agree, one bottle ok, 10 not good.
Oral hygiene, yup, that might be ok, good to have fresh breathe
If you are in the chocolate aisle, buying chocolate, I am yours for life... lol
fruit and veggie aisle is supposed to be good but if you were squeezing the melons just a little too long... well... you might be strange or you might be my kind of guy.. hahaha
my oh my, this could go on and on...

any other ideas anyone?? lol <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

again, cookie aisle no way.

baby food section, probably taken.

steaks/meat/coldcuts - good catch. meat eater and likes to cookout, probably a good time all the way around

buying olives?, follow them to the booze aisle and start the conversation there.

ice cream - probably lonely as ****** and i'd be careful but definetly hit them up.

MB appears to be a great place to hang out! <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/eek.gif" alt="" />

Grocery stores are nice places to meet, I've met a lot of single Dads at the playground on Sunday. Recently I got involved with a community business development group and noticed there are a lot of singles in the group - professional.

There's a community health center here with exercise equipment and it's coed, so you get to meet a lot of singles there (however, I've noticed a few MM there looking too - naughty,naughty.)

Or, you could do what I did and go Christmas Caroling on Christmas Eve...

I've found family activities really are the best for meeting the "right kind of guys/gals". I've met some pretty decent guys online too. My friends are always trying to set me up with their "recently separated buddies" and that gets old after a while. I've heard all the sob stories, and put a lot of marriages back together...

It really is a jungle out there, grab an animal and see what happens next. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Jan

I can't decide if the reason they go back to their ex's is that they realize I'm a sample of what's available and prefer what they have at home, or what? But I've certainly spent more than my fair share of evenings explaining the fine art of MB and communication with men who invited me out on a "date". Next thing I know, our mutual friends are telling me how they got back with their ex's and things are working out well... <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/eek.gif" alt="" />

(Thought I'd better explain that comment.)