As most of you know, I’m a single gal trying to navigate the super scary realm known as “dating after 30”. It’s an absolute nightmare, this mission of trying to find the right guy with the right priorities and the right agenda. Most days, I choose to laugh because the alternative would completely ruin my make-up but I’m not ashamed to admit that I’m frustrated that there seems to be no end in sight to this quest that I’ve been on for what seems like 82 eternities. Tonight, I’m a bit down in the dumps about the whole crazy mixed-up thing and since the words are bouncing around in my head, I’m going to take a minute to vent. (It’s my blog; I can do that!)
I tried a popular internet site, you know the one with the “free communication weekend” and I must have done something wrong when I filled out my profile because the people I met didn’t match me on one level, much less the 27 levels of compatibility touted on the commercials. I was starting to think I didn’t know myself as well as I thought. It crossed my mind to have someone else fill out my profile because it occurs to me that sometimes other people see you differently than you see yourself.
I then tried a free internet site but it’s true that sometimes, you get what you pay for. Not to mention the completely embarrassing story of how I inadvertently made my screen name a little too similar to a lunatic trash website (that apparently everyone knew about but me; I guess I really was raised in a bubble) and couldn’t figure out why I was getting all grades of requests and comments from people who were all too willing to let their freak flags fly. I have since remedied this dreadful but enlightening situation and am now getting matches from seemingly ‘normal’ men. And my self-esteem has almost recovered. Almost. Maybe.
I’ve had some fantastic friends set me up with great people but, for whatever reason, those things just haven’t worked out to become anything more than buddies. I’m OK with that and I love my friends for trying.
And then there have been a few nights dating at the speed of blur with a popular speed dating company in the area. Most people think speed dating is strange; I thought it was fun. And for the amount of time invested, I met some people who kept me entertained for several months. And, truth be told, I still keep up with a few guys I met in the blurry haze of names and faces. I also met some characters who will likely take center stage if I ever write a book about the trials and tribulations of dating.
So here I am, still searching for the guy to be the last chapter of my dating book, the one guy who brings me to my Happily Ever After.
A few nights ago, a great friend said, “Have you tried…” and she mentioned a company who sets professionals up on lunch dates. You submit a profile and show up for lunch; they do all the rest. Sounded pretty good. What did I have to lose?
Well, let me just tell you what I had to lose. Six hundred dollars for a membership AND one hundred dollars per month. I’m not sure what your financial situation is but to me, that’s a lot of cash, especially when the dating director (now that would be a fun job, or at least a fun job title) couldn’t tell me how many dates would be guaranteed per month. Their system sounded like a great program but I just couldn’t bring myself to even try to find a way to fund this love-seeking endeavor. In my humble little opinion, being single over thirty with jobs and bills and responsibilities is difficult enough without adding the extra pressure of trying to justify a 100 dollar lunch. (Oh, and by the way, the 100 dollars doesn't even cover your lunch; you pay for that separately.)
And so the quest continues, and I’ll keep you posted. Now that I’ve pretty much given up on the internet, speed dating, and set-ups from family and friends, I guess I’ll just have to do this the old fashioned way… I’m planning to run my cart into the next cute boy I see at Wal-Mart. J
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